Before today's evening training session, the head coach of Ukraine's national team, Oleksandr Petrakov, had a meeting with UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin, who arrived in his home country Slovenia for a short visit several days before the 46th UEFA Congress scheduled to take place on May 11 in Vienna.

It is known that the head of European football invited the national team of Ukraine to hold preparatory training camps at the Slovenian Football Association's training center and instructed UEFA to cover all expenses related to the stay of the blue-and-yellow team there. Earlier today, Mr. Čeferin received a call from Andriy Pyvovarov, president of the Ukrainian Football Association (UAF), who decided not to leave his homeland during wartime, in a friendly conversation he invited him to visit our team's location.

Photo by the UAF press service

After that, the UEFA President personally checked everything was well at the Ukrainian team's training camp. The head coach of the blue-and-yellow team, Oleksandr Petrakov, sincerely thanked his long-time acquaintance and namesake for the care and hospitality shown by Slovenians to Ukrainians during this difficult time of war.

Photo by the UAF press service

“Thanks to you, we feel at home, for which we are simply infinitely grateful to all of Slovenia,” said the manager of Ukraine's national team. In turn, Aleksander Čeferin assured that he would continue to support Ukrainians in their needs.

Photo by the UAF press service

Before the evening training session, the team greeted defender Oleksandr Pichalenko with applause on his birthday, which is today. As at the beginning of the week, there was again a tandem of birthday boys in the squad—junior manager Oleksandr Kistkin also celebrates his birthday. On this occasion, during dinner under the friendly chorus of "Happy Birthday to you," two festive cakes were ceremoniously brought out.

Photo by the UAF press service

But this was after a training session filled with active exercises. After running and warm-up, the players participated in a relay race for ball control around cones. The coaching staff maximizes competitive effects during current sessions, encouraging footballers to return to game condition. During the main part of the training, which involved game series, the boys received specific tasks that forced them to quickly find and make decisions. A total of 20 players participated in this intense session.

Photo by the UAF press service

Mykhailo Mudryk is finishing his recovery: today he already participated in warm-up, relay race, square exercises and will soon fully join all training sessions of the main group of players. Viktor Tsygankov continues rehabilitation after a quadriceps injury, while Oleksiy Hushchylak, who injured his lateral knee ligament, requires treatment to be conducted under the supervision of team doctors.

Tomorrow, Ukraine's national team will have two training sessions, including an evening match between the squad members.

Oleksandr Hlyvinskyi, press secretary of Ukraine's national team

List of players called up from Ukrainian clubs

Goalkeepers: Georgiy Bushchan ("Dynamo" Kyiv), Andriy Pyatov, Anatoliy Trubin (both — "Shakhtar" Donetsk), Dmytro Riznyk ("Vorskla" Poltava).

Defenders: Oleksandr Karavayev, Illia Zabarny, Oleksandr Syrota, Denis Popov (all — "Dynamo" Kyiv), Mykhailo Matviienko, Serhiy Krivoshtchok, Viktor Korniyenko, Valerii Bondar, Yurym Konoplia (all — "Shakhtar" Donetsk).

Midfielders: Taras Stepanenko, Mykhailo Mudryk (both — "Shakhtar" Donetsk), Serhiy Sydorchuk, Viktor Tsygankov, Mykhailo Shaparenko, Vitaliy Buyalskyi, Dmytro Harmash (all — "Dynamo" Kyiv), Serhiy Bulhatsa ("Zorya" Luhansk), Oleksandr Pichalenko, Oleksiy Hushchylak (both — SK "Dnipro-1").

Forwards: Artem Dovbyk (SK "Dnipro-1"), Artem Besedin ("Dynamo" Kyiv).