Serhiy Rebrov: "Our focus is on preparing strongly for the Euro amid high expectations"

31.05.2024 11:28

Head сoach of the national team of Ukraine Serhiy Rebrov discussed the team's preparations for the start of EURO 2024.

The blue-yellow squad has commenced its preparations for EURO 2024, kicking off with their first training session in Germany. Ukraine's national team coach, Serhiy Rebrov, shared his thoughts on the team's initial phase of work:

- Our focus is on preparing strongly for the Euro amid high expectations. I thanked the players for what they have done, and they have done a lot. Now we need to forget about it all and represent Ukraine well at the Euros.

- The players had different lengths of rest before this training camp. Will it be challenging to achieve a balance in the condition of your players?

- I think it was a short break, and the players needed it because the season was very intense. For the last almost three months, the Shakhtar and Dynamo players were playing two to three games per week, which was very tough, fighting for the championship. So I believe they rested a bit and are now preparing for the Euros in a good mood.

- What's the situation with the players who have injuries?

- I hope they will return in a day or two, from what I see, how they are training. I hope there will be no more injuries during this camp.

- In June, it will be a year since you became the coach of the Ukraine national team. Your debut match was also against Germany. Do you remember that game? Is this a special team for you?

- I remember all the matches of the national team. It's indeed a great responsibility. The first match was very interesting; we gained important confidence in our abilities.

- Has the Ukraine national team changed a lot over this year?

- I don't know; it's hard for me to compare because I didn't work with the team before. I'm interested in working with the players; they show interest, so I hope we enjoy working together.

Ukraine national team roster:

Goalkeepers: Georgiy Bushchan (Dynamo Kyiv), Anatoliy Trubin (Benfica, Portugal), Andriy Lunin (Real Madrid, Spain).

Defenders: Mykola Matviyenko, Yukhym Konoplya, Valeriy Bondar (all Shakhtar Donetsk), Oleksandr Tymchyk (Dynamo Kyiv), Vitaliy Mykolenko (Everton, England), Illia Zabarnyi (Bournemouth, England), Oleksandr Svatok (SK Dnipro-1), Maksym Talovierov (LASK, Austria), Bohdan Mykhaylichenko (Polissya Zhytomyr).

Midfielders: Andriy Yarmolenko, Mykola Shaparenko, Volodymyr Brazhko (all Dynamo Kyiv), Taras Stepanenko, Oleksandr Zubkov, Georgiy Sudakov (all Shakhtar Donetsk), Oleksandr Zinchenko (Arsenal, England), Viktor Tsygankov (Girona, Spain), Mykhailo Mudryk (Chelsea, England), Serhiy Sydorchuk (Westerlo, Belgium), Ruslan Malinovskyi (Genoa, Italy).

Forwards: Artem Dovbyk (Girona, Spain), Roman Yaremchuk (Valencia, Spain), Vladyslav Vanat (Dynamo Kyiv).

Reserve list: Dmytro Riznyk, Danylo Sikan (both Shakhtar Donetsk), Denys Popov, Vitaliy Buyalskyi, Vladyslav Kabaiev (all Dynamo Kyiv), Yehor Yarmolyuk (Brentford, England).

On June 3, the team will play a friendly match against the hosts of EURO 2024 in Nuremberg, Germany. Kick-off is at 21:45 Kyiv time.

The next day, the team will fly to Warsaw, Poland. In the capital of the neighboring country, Ukraine will play its next preparatory and friendly match against Poland on June 7. Kick-off is at 21:45 Kyiv time.

The final match before the pre-tournament camp will be against the Moldovan national team on June 11 in Chisinau, Moldova. Kick-off is at 19:00 Kyiv time.

On June 12, the national team will arrive at their permanent base for EURO 2024 in Wiesbaden.

Group E Match Schedule for EURO 2024

June 17: Romania vs Ukraine. Arena Munich, Munich. Kick-off: 16:00 Kyiv time.

June 17: Belgium vs Slovakia. Frankfurt Stadium, Frankfurt. Kick-off: 19:00 Kyiv time.

June 21: Slovakia vs Ukraine. Dusseldorf Arena, Dusseldorf. Kick-off: 16:00 Kyiv time.

June 22: Belgium vs Romania. Cologne Stadium, Cologne. Kick-off: 22:00 Kyiv time.

June 26: Slovakia vs Romania. Frankfurt Stadium, Frankfurt. Kick-off: 19:00 Kyiv time.

June 26: Ukraine vs Belgium. Stuttgart Arena, Stuttgart. Kick-off: 19:00 Kyiv time.

Kick-off times are in Kyiv time.

Oleksandr Hlyvynskyi, press secretary of the Ukrainian national team