Serhiy Rebrov: "I admire the Czech style of play for their aggressive approach"

09.09.2024 19:08

Ahead of the Nations League 2024/2025 match against Czechia, Ukraine head coach Serhiy Rebrov spoke to the media at the press conference. 

- What is the current squad situation? Will Mykhailo Mudryk be ready to play?

- Today, Mykhailo is training with the main group. From what I can see, there are minor issues, but the players are healthy and ready for tomorrow's match.

- How do you feel about the support of Ukrainian fans in Czechia? About 15,000 attended the game against Albania. Do you expect similar support tomorrow?

- Unfortunately, we cannot expect such support at the Czech stadium when we are playing away. We are very grateful to Czechia for allowing us to hold our home game in Prague. I appreciate Czechia's support for Ukraine and its stance on the war. We feel at home here. We are very thankful to everyone who helps us.

- Is the defeat to Albania a significant problem, even though it seemed undeserved? The Ukrainian team had the advantage and was leading but lost. How do you assess this?

- It’s similar to Czechia's match against Georgia. At this level, all the national teams have the best players. If we had the advantage in the game against Albania but still lost, it means the teams are approximately on the same level. Therefore, it’s important to concentrate on every moment of the game. The same will apply tomorrow. I don’t believe there is a significant difference between Czechia and Ukraine. We need to show a different level of preparation and react better than we did against Albania.

- Will the match tomorrow differ since Czechia plays a more attacking style than Albania?

- It will be a completely different game. Czechia is more aggressive and plays at home. We have watched their matches. We need to be prepared for this game.

- What are the strengths of the Czech team? Which players are the strongest, and who should we watch out for?

- I admire the Czech style of play for their aggressive approach. From what I saw at the Euros, there is no difference in the positions. There is competition, but the style of play does not change. It’s hard to single out individual players because it’s one team that understands how to play and uses its abilities well. We respect the opponent but need to focus on ourselves, show a different level of preparation, and a greater desire to play.

- How do you assess the preparation conditions provided in Czechia?

- I remember we prepared here last year, and everything was satisfactory. We are very grateful. All issues are resolved quickly, and all conditions are created. We are training on good grounds, and everything seems perfect to me. But we understand that we cannot play for our fans right now. We play for Ukrainians abroad. We dream about returning to Ukraine and playing for our fans there.

As a reminder, Ukraine will play another match in Group B1 of the Nations League 2024/2025 in Prague in September. On the 10th, the Blue and Yellows will face Czechia at Eden Arena.