On the eve of today’s match of the third round of the main stage of the Conference League between Kyiv’s Dynamo and Bosnia’s Zrinjski, a pre-match press conference was held in the conference hall of the Arena Lublin stadium, which will host this match, featuring Zrinjski midfielder Neven Djurasek.
Neven Djurasek— Neven, you have experience playing in Ukraine for Dnipro-1 and Shakhtar from 2021 to 2023. Based on this, is Dynamo not an unfamiliar team for you?
— Definitely. I think I know almost 90% of the current Dynamo squad, and there are many players whom I’ve already faced. So yes, I know what to expect, but so does the whole team, as we’ve thoroughly studied the opponent. I believe we are fully prepared for this match.
— What can you say about Dynamo’s strengths? And who can you highlight in this team’s lineup?
— First of all, we start from the fact that Dynamo plays very vertically. I wouldn’t like to mention any specific names. I’ll just say that it is a serious team with many individually strong players. Of course, we don’t know what Dynamo’s lineup will be for the match against us and how exactly the opponent will play, but we are ready for any options and well-prepared.
— How do you cope with the current busy gaming schedule? Will it affect the game against Dynamo?
— Such a schedule, of course, is very demanding, but having reached the European competitions, we knew what awaited us. Moreover, our opponents are in the same conditions, so I don’t think it will be a problem in the upcoming match.
— How will it affect the game that Dynamo will play their home match in Poland without much support from the stands?
— I was in such a situation myself when I played for Shakhtar. And I know it’s uncomfortable; all Dynamo players would like to play at home in front of their fans. But I also know that there are many Dynamo fans and just Ukrainians in Poland, so I think there will be a sufficient number of people in the stands.
— What is your personal experience of matches against Dynamo?
— Good question. With Dnipro-1, there was one defeat, and with Shakhtar — either two wins or a win and a draw, I don’t remember exactly. So my experience of meetings with Dynamo is only half-successful.
Alexander POPOV
