The day before the friendly match against Borussia (Mönchengladbach), which will take place on May 11 as part of preparation for the UEFA Nations League and World Cup 2022 playoffs, head coach of the Ukrainian national team Oleksandr Petrakov held a press conference.

"Does Borussia have a similar playing style to Scotland's national team, which you will face in the World Cup 2022 playoff matches?"

"Borussia plays with a similar system — 3-5-2 that transitions into 3-4-3. The Scottish national team also plays this way. It would be good if our main foreign-based players could play against such an opponent. We explain to the boys how to play, we have time. This is a very good opponent."

"People with Ukrainian passports will be able to attend the match for free. Can you tell us why this decision was made?"

"This was Borussia's decision. I read that Ireland's national team also provided two thousand free seats for their UEFA Nations League match in Dublin. People came from Ukraine with nothing. It’s good that they will come and cheer for their country and players. Very grateful to the leadership, head coach, and players of Borussia for agreeing to help us and play this game."

"In what condition are Dynamo Kyiv and Shakhtar Donetsk players who haven't played half a season in official matches?"

"I really like how the boys work at training. No one says anything unnecessary. Everything is going well."

"Tomorrow there will be many fans on the stands. Ukrainians can now be found everywhere in Germany. Have you already had a chance to talk with any fellow countrymen?"

"When we arrived, we were greeted very well, thank you for that. I saw that everyone treats us nicely and wishes us good luck. Never thought in my life that Germans would wish me happiness or greet me warmly while our 'brothers' would try to kill us."

"Do you maintain contact with the national team's foreign-based players?"

"Yesterday I spoke with Andriy Yarmolenko. We talked and laughed a bit, which is needed now to keep our sanity. Yarmolenko will join the squad on May 23 along with Vitaliy Mykolenko. Today I'll call Oleksandr Zinchenko. I talk to all the boys regularly. But talking too much isn't good either because when they arrive, they might say they didn't miss us. The boys are doing well. God willing, let it be so without injuries. On May 12 we will officially invite the foreign-based players."

"It's clear that the players are under a lot of stress. How do you relieve the atmosphere in the team?"

"God willing, we'll take a breath on June 14 in Poland, in Łódź..."

"How many substitutions are planned for tomorrow's match?"

"Tomorrow everyone will play; there are no substitution rules. We currently have 17 field players. Viktor Tsygankov cannot play yet. Oleksiy Hushchyn is going home because of an injury, out for about two weeks. Viktor Kornienko was called up but didn't come due to an injury. Serhiy Krivtsov hasn’t played half a season; he recently started recovery."

"Will players from the Hungarian league — Petryak, Shabanov, Makarenko — be called up?"

"No, these footballers won't be called up."

"Will Andriy Lunin receive a call-up to the national team?"

"Let there be intrigue. I spoke with him yesterday. His wife is giving birth today, it's a boy. Boys were also born to Serhiy Sydorchuk and Eduard Sobol. My mother told me that in times of war, mostly boys are born."