Alexander hopes that the Ukrainian team will show their best football.
Ukrainian national team midfielder Alexander Zinchenkocommented on the upcoming match against the team of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the semi-finals of the play-off qualifying for Euro 2024.
The 27-year-old player of London's Arsenal together with the head coach of the “blue-yellows” Sergei Rebrov took part in a press conference on the eve of an extremely important match with the Bosnians, the official website of the UAF reports.
– A few years ago you already played against the Bosnians. What are your expectations from this opponent now?
– Of course, we know that it will be difficult because they have a great team, there are experienced players who can share their experience with others. Of course, any national team plays better in front of its fans. I hope we will show our best game.
– Many say that now the Ukrainian national team is the best in a long time. Do you feel pressure since the team played in the quarter finals of Euro 2020 led by Andriy Shevchenko? Do you feel like you have to go further?
– I don’t know who can judge which team is better. We will leave this matter to other people. The Ukrainian national team is now changing generations, there are many young players and experienced ones. I think it's a great mix at the moment. I really hope that our team will reach heights. This is what we believe in. You can talk a lot, but showing it on the field is another matter. We will choose the second and try to show our best side.
– How was your last week in Spain? What is the atmosphere in the team after a long break? What state are you in? You've missed a lot, haven't you?
– The atmosphere is great, we all understand why we came here, we are aware of the responsibility. Preparations are going well. I hope we can show all this on the field. As for my condition, I feel good physically and psychologically, I’m 100 percent ready.
– The Ukrainian national team practiced taking penalties. How do you feel about the possibility of a post-match series?
– These are the rules of the game. If we draw, then there will be extra periods and penalties. Of course, I would like to achieve a positive result in 90 minutes, but in football you need to be prepared for anything. That's why we practiced this in training.
The match Bosnia and Herzegovina – Ukraine will take place on Thursday, March 21, in the city of Zenica at the Bilino Pole stadium. The starting whistle will sound at 21:45 Kyiv time.
Text online broadcast of the match Bosnia and Herzegovina – Ukraineis available on our website.