Serhiy Rebrov: "Albania has changed significantly. They qualified for the European Championship and impressed"

18.11.2024 19:06

Ahead of Ukraine's UEFA Nations League 2024/2025 match against Albania, national team head coach Serhiy Rebrov held a press conference:

— In light of the recent enemy strikes on our cities, I would like to express my support, as well as from all the players of the national team of Ukraine to the families of the victims. I want to remind everyone that the war in Ukraine continues, with the enemy daily shelling our cities and killing our civilians. We are grateful for all the help we have received, and now we especially need support from European countries.

— Are there any injured players in your squad? Will Vladyslav Vanat play?

— The situation is the same as before. Vanat is recovering. We’ll see how things go. He came to the national team eager to play. We didn’t know how long he would be out due to his injury. He wants to play and is ready to represent our country. We still have 24 hours, and we hope he will be ready for the match.

— Do you remember the 1998 World Cup qualifiers against Albania, when you scored winning goals? Do those matches still stick in your memory?

— I remember every match for the national team, but unfortunately, I don’t remember those particular goals. The Albania team has changed significantly since then. They now have many players from Serie A and other top leagues. It’s hard to compare those games to how Albania plays now. They qualified for the European Championship and impressed.

— Viktor Leonenko mentioned that we have leaders in the national team who play well for their clubs, but it’s not visible in the national team. Do you agree with that?

— I don’t agree with that. We have a very young team, and we were the youngest team at EURO 2024. Now, we are even younger. The young players who are seen as leaders are not yet stable. For footballers who want to be leaders, it’s important to show consistent performance both in their clubs and in the national team. We have a good team now, with a nice balance of young and experienced players. In my opinion, this team has a bright future. But I always tell the players that football is about today, not about what you’ll show tomorrow or how you’ll play for your club. You must give your best for the national team. I don’t think our players are failing to show their level. At the national team level, we face the best players from each country. For example, tomorrow we’ll face Albania, where most of the players have played at the European Championship and are playing in the top leagues.

Additionally, Ukraine's final match in Group B1 of the UEFA Nations League 2024/2025 will be played away against Albania. On November 19, on matchday 6, Ukraine will meet Albania at the Air Albania Stadium in Tirana.