— What is the team's current situation? Has Mykola Matviyenko recovered from his injury?

— There are minor injuries. As far as I can see, everyone is training. We will make a decision after the training session. We have 25 players, so we'll need to make some choices. There are micro-injuries that don't really hinder the players.

— It has only been two days since the match against England. What physical condition is the team in and what kind of workload do they have?

— There's no workload right now, the boys are recovering. Even during the evening training session, we'll be more focused on getting to know the field and preparing for the game. We've spent these two days solely on recovery.

— Can we expect Andriy Yarmolenko to play?

— He's training, you saw that he was on the bench. Unfortunately, Andriy doesn't have much practice and is still recovering. Over the last three or four days, Yarmolenko has been working with the main group. His appearance is entirely possible.

— What can you say about the Italian national team? How would you evaluate this opponent considering the arrival of a new coach and their draw against Macedonia?

— Yes, they drew with Macedonia, I watched that game. It was a very tough match given the state of the field. I saw the intensity and how the Italians tried to win. The intensity surprised me. I'm sure it will be no less tomorrow, we need to be prepared for this.

— How difficult is it to bring players up to a consistent playing level in such a short time?

— It does take more time. But we're not new at this, the players understand. We try to convey to them that they need to focus on themselves and our game model. In my opinion, over these five or six days, the execution has greatly improved in terms of team play.

— How important is Andriy Shevchenko's support for your team, who once played in Italy?

— Andriy supports not just us, he supports Ukraine and does important things. He's an ambassador of United24, doing great work for the country. It's a great honor to see him here. The way he played in Italy is an example of a great Ukrainian.

— How significant are your team's performances for Ukraine at this time?

— We're living now for our armed forces, the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Everything we do is for them. I can see on the players' faces that they understand why and for whom they are playing. If you recall the atmosphere at the match against England, which was transmitted from the stands, then they truly represented our country well.

— 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 game for both the Italians and us. I always tell my players to respect their opponents but focus on our 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 need to think about ourselves.

— The Ukrainian national team has never beaten Italy before. Will this serve as motivation or put psychological pressure on the team?

— Italy is a top national team, so we haven't beaten them yet. It's very difficult to play against such opponents. Against England, we managed to score a point, but it was extremely tough. The same kind of game awaits us tomorrow. We need to believe in ourselves and understand that only our own play can earn points at San Siro.

— The Italian national team is going through difficult times considering their results, injuries, and the change of coach. Will this help you psychologically?

— I hope that right now our national team is going through very good times. Crisis in Italy? I watched all of Italy's matches, including those at the final stage of the Nations League — it's a great team. Yes, they didn't win the Nations League, but they showed a very high level. So I don't think they're in crisis. This is a very strong opponent that we need to take very seriously.

— What would your national team do to overtake Italy in the standings?

— First of all, it's great that we're playing here. There's a war going on in our country, so it's important to represent it well, as was done against England. We respect our opponent. We have plans for tomorrow's game. We need to show the character of Ukrainians who are fighting for their independence right now. Unfortunately, football is not at the forefront in our country right now. But I believe that we showed character in the match against England and should do the same tomorrow.

— Do you think it would be easier to play against Roberto Mancini's team than against Luciano Spalletti's, who has only coached one game?

— I've seen many matches with Spalletti at the helm of Napoli. He won the championship, and I greatly respect this professional. Any coach needs time. Even in the first match, I saw changes — there was added intensity, players understand what they're doing on the field. This will be a very difficult game for us, but we need to be ready for it.

— What can you say to Ukrainian fans who are coming to the match?

— We're very grateful to everyone who comes to support us. This is not just support for the team, but also for the whole country. Millions of Ukrainians will be watching this game. I believe there will be many Ukrainians supporting us.

Reminder: The UEFA Euro 2024 qualifier match between Italy and Ukraine will take place on September 12 in Milan (kickoff at 9:45 PM Kyiv time).