Rebrov: Italy is a top team, so we didn’t beat it

The head coach of the Ukrainian national team shared his expectations from the upcoming Euro 2024 qualifying match.

The Italian national team has no crisis in the game, and it remains a team. This is what the head coach of the Ukrainian national team Sergei Rebrov thinks.

The mentor also spoke about the personnel situation in the national team, including whether blue-yellow captain Andrei Yarmolenko will be able to play in the qualifying match for Euro 2024.

– What was the personnel situation before the match? Has Nikolai Matvienko recovered from his injury?

– There are minor injuries. As far as I can see, everyone is practicing. We will decide after training. We have 25 players, we will have to choose. There are micro-injuries that don’t bother players too much.

– Only two days have passed since the England match. What physical condition is the team in, what kind of workload does it receive?

– Today there is no load, the guys are recovering. Even during night training we will be more familiar with the field and prepare for the game. These two days are only engaged in recovery.

– Can we expect Andrei Yarmolenko to take the field?

– He was training, you saw that he was a substitute. Unfortunately, Andrey has no practice and is recovering. For the last three or four days, Yarmolenko has been working with the general group. Its appearance is quite possible.

– What can you say about the Italian team? How would you rate this opponent, given the arrival of a new coach and the team’s draw with the Macedonians?

– Yes, they tied, I watched this game. It was a very difficult match considering the state of the field. I saw the intensity, I saw how the Italians tried to win. I was surprised by its intensity. I am sure that tomorrow the intensity will not decrease, we must be ready for it.

– How difficult is it to bring football players to the same tone of play in a relatively short period of time?

– Yes, we need more time. But this is not the first time we have gathered, the players understand everything. We try to convey to them that it is important to focus on ourselves and our game model. In my opinion, in these five or six days the performers have improved a lot in terms of team play.

– How important is the support from Andrei Shevchenko, who once competed in Italy?

– Andrey not only supports us, he supports Ukraine, does important things. He is an ambassador for United24, doing great things for the country. It is a great honor for me to see him here. The way he played in Italy is an example of a great Ukrainian.

– How important are your team’s performances for Ukraine so far?

– We live today for the sake of our armed forces, the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Everything we do is for them. I see in the players that they understand why and for whom they are playing. If you remember the mood in the England match, sent from the stands, then they really represented our country with dignity.

– What do you expect from your opponent in tomorrow’s match?

– I know how Italy will play. The players understand that this is a very important match for the Italians and for us. I always tell football players that they should respect the opponent but focus on their own game. If we don’t show it tomorrow, it will be very difficult. We understand how important the game is for Italy, but we have to think about ourselves.

– The Ukrainian national team has never defeated the Italians. Will it serve as motivation or put moral pressure on the team?

– Italy is a top team, so we didn’t beat them. It is very difficult to play against such opponents. We got a point against England, but it was very, very difficult. The same game awaits us tomorrow. We must believe in ourselves, understand that only with our performance can we win points at San Siro.

– The Italian national team is going through difficult times, due to results, injuries, and coach changes. Will it help you, perhaps psychologically?

– I hope that the Ukrainian national team is going through a very good time now. Crisis in Italy? I have watched all the matches of the Italians, including the last stage of the Nations League, and they are a very good team. Yes, they didn’t win the Nations League, but they show a very high level. That’s why I don’t think they are in crisis. This is a very strong opponent that we must take seriously.

– What will the Ukrainian team do to overtake Italy in the standings?

– First of all, it’s very good that we play here. There is a war going on in our country, it is important to represent it with dignity, as it happened in England. We respect our opponent. We have a plan for tomorrow’s game. We must show the character of the Ukrainians who are now fighting for their freedom. Unfortunately, today football is not in the foreground in our country. But I believe that against England we showed character and tomorrow we must do the same.

– Do you think it is easier to play with Roberto Mancini’s team than with Luciano Spalletti’s team, who played only one match with the head of the national team?

– I saw Spalletti’s many fights with the Napoli leader. He won the championship, I respect this specialist very much. Any coach needs time. Even from the first game, I saw the changes – the intensity was added, the players understood what they were doing on the field. It will be a very difficult game for us, but we must be ready for it.

– What would you say to the Ukrainian fans who came to the match?

– We are very grateful to everyone who attended the match to support us. This is support not only for the national team, but for the whole country. The match will be watched by millions of Ukrainians. I believe that many Ukrainians will support us.

We remind you that the Euro 2024 qualifying match between the national teams of Italy and Ukraine will take place on September 12 in Milan at the San Siro stadium. The game starts at 21:45 Kyiv time.

It was previously reported that the Ukrainian national team defender will not be able to compete in the game against Italy due to injury.

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