In May, the Slovenian region of Goriska became the second home for Ukraine's national team. Careful and attentive managers and staff from the Football Association of Slovenia and Hotel "Elegance" continue to do everything possible so that blue-and-yellow feel right at home here.

Indeed, the location near National Park Brdo can be called a paradise, football-wise. Perfectly maintained fields, a gym with all necessary equipment, comfortable infrastructure of the training center, renovated comfortable hotel with delicious cuisine and unique mattresses that promote maximum recovery and sound sleep – all this against the backdrop of picturesque nature and fresh air!

This makes the preparation of Ukraine's national team what it should be at a high professional level. And such conditions in wartime were something blue-and-yellow could only dream about.

Photo by the press service of the UAF

These words were said today by head coach of the national team Oleksandr Petrakov during a meeting with President of the Football Association of Slovenia Radenko Mijatovic. The leader of Slovenian football visited the hotel where Ukrainians are accommodated to check if everything is well for them. "We feel like at home here, and we are infinitely grateful to you," — confessed the coach of our team. "This is exactly what we wanted – for you to feel this way," — replied Mr. Mijatovic. As a souvenir, blue-and-yellow presented their host with a national team jersey in which they played charity matches, signed by all players.

Photo by the press service of the UAF

The day before late in the evening, Vitaliy Mykolenko and Andriy Yarmolenko arrived at the camp of the national team, while today after lunch — Oleksandr Zinchenko. The arrival of "Englishmen" was long awaited by teammates, so the meeting was warm and even touching. For example, Mykolenko last played for the national team in September, Yarmolenko and Zinchenko — in November. The guys confessed that they simply could not wait to feel the atmosphere of the national team again.

Photo by the press service of the UAF

All newcomers went out on the field of the training center in Brdo today, although Vitaliy Mykolenko could not participate in the evening training. The Everton defender arrived with a calf injury sustained during his club game and worked individually under the supervision of a physiotherapist today. However, it is planned that Vitalik will join the main group tomorrow already. Also skipping practice were Mykhailo Mudryk and Mykola Shaparenko who received minor injuries and are undergoing treatment by team doctors. Denis Popov completes his rehabilitation course.

Photo by the press service of the UAF

The rest of the players, including Andriy Yarmolenko and Oleksandr Zinchenko, fully completed the evening training program which included a run, warm-up, squares, tactical and game series. The work of the coaching staff now focuses on tactical build-up and structuring the game for the match against Scotland on June 1.

Alexander Glyvinsky, press secretary of Ukraine's national team

List of players in Ukraine's national team

Goalkeepers: Georgiy Bushchan («Dynamo» Kyiv), Andriy Pyatov («Shakhtar» Donetsk), Dmytro Rytsnik («Vorskla» Poltava), Andriy Lunin («Real Madrid», Spain).

Defenders: Oleksandr Karavayev, Illia Zabarnyi, Oleksandr Syrota, Denis Popov (all — «Dynamo» Kyiv), Mykhailo Matviienko, Valeriy Bondar (both — «Shakhtar» Donetsk), Vitaliy Mykolenko («Everton», England), Eduard Sobolev («Brugge», Belgium), Taras Kachaраба («Slavia», Czech Republic).

Midfielders: Taras Stepanenko, Mykhailo Mudryk (both — «Shakhtar» Donetsk), Serhiy Sydorchuk, Viktor Tsygankov, Mykhailo Shaparenko (all — «Dynamo» Kyiv), Oleksandr Pichalenko (SK «Dnipro-1»), Andriy Yarmolenko («West Ham», England), Oleksandr Zinchenko («Manchester City», England), Ruslan Malinovskiy («Atalanta», Italy), Oleksandr Zubkov («Ferencvaros», Hungary).

Forwards: Artem Dovbyk (SK «Dnipro-1»), Roman Yaremchuk («Benfica», Portugal), Danilo Sikan («Hansa Rostock», Germany).