Ukraine national team player Illia Zabarnyi participated in a press conference ahead of the match between Ukraine and Northern Ireland in the third round of the 2026/2027 Nations League.

– We have a match against Northern Ireland. British football, lots of long balls and physical challenges. Are you already tired of this? What are your expectations for the game, how do we avoid losing in this physical battle?

– I don't think we are tired of it. I don't believe this will be a problem. Yes, we know the strengths of our opponent and we will try to avoid them, but more importantly, we will focus on our own game. Our task is clear – to come out and win.

– How difficult is it to always play away from home, far from your fans? As I understand it, there will be several thousand of your fans tomorrow. How inspiring is this for you and the team?

– We talk a lot in the team. Imagine how these matches could be in Ukraine, for example at "Lviv Arena"? We talk about this a lot. Each of us sums up these feelings and this atmosphere. Of course, it's not comparable to playing outside of Ukraine. Yes, our people come to the stands, but it's not the same. Still, it's great to see your compatriots on the stadium, our flags. This is very important. We want to give everything on the field and bring a little hope, some positive emotions. Big thanks to those who come to support us at the stadium. The more of you there are – the better.

– One thing that Northern Ireland lacks is converting the chances they create. As a defender, evaluate their attacking options.

– In my opinion, it's a good, balanced team. It's hard to score in our group. As we see, there are few goals scored. But Northern Ireland creates many chances. This is football – sometimes it works, sometimes not. Our task is to stop the opponent. I know they will press us because they do this very well. They play a low block and compactly. I expect a very good game with an emphasis on physical fitness. We need to understand ourselves better and dictate our style.

– You have three different opponents in one week. Andrea Maldera is known for his tactical preparations. How do you, as players, perceive this massive amount of information within a short period?

– Yes, indeed a lot of tactical information and theories. I think this is a positive thing. We have many players coming from the Ukrainian Premier League for whom this information is important for development. Andrea provides a lot of details that you can even pick up on theory rather than practice, which will help you in the game. As for me, I've already worked with Andrea in the national team and more or less knew his tactical ideas. And he came with new ideas. This is such a new challenge for us in the national team. Everything has changed. It's very pleasant to work like this; I'm really happy about it. I see how the guys are internalizing all of this, how they listen. I am satisfied with that.