Sylvinho paid tribute to Serhiy Rebrov's team ahead of the face-to-face meeting.
Albania national team head coach Sylvinho commented on the tournament situation ahead of the match of the last 6th round of the group stage of the 2024/25 Nations League against Ukraine.
At a press conference before the decisive match, the Albanian coach expressed his respect for the “blue-yellows” and said that his team would play to win, as they continue to fight for first place in the group and a direct ticket to the elite division of the League of Nations.
“If we compare the situation with what it was three months ago, this is the most equal group. Almost anything can happen before the final matches. If we talk about the previous match between Georgia and Ukraine – I saw it. It was a tough game, the chances were 50/50. The Ukrainians tied, and this is evidence that this group is very equal.
Each of the teams played at Euro 2024, have good players and coaches. Of course, we expect to win, because we will play with the support of the home stands. But, of course, we respect Ukraine, they have a good, tough team. We need to play one of the best matches, because we still have a chance to even win the group. This is our goal for today,” Sylvinho said in response to a question from a Suspilne Sport journalist.
The Albania vs. Ukraine match will take place on Tuesday, November 19, at the Air Albania stadium in Tirana. The starting whistle will sound at 21:45 Kyiv time.
A text online broadcast of the Albania vs. Ukraine match is available on our website.
Ukraine national team in the 2024/25 Nations League: results and standings
The Ukrainian national team has already played five matches in the 2024/25 Nations League. Rebrov's team lostAlbania (1:2), lost to the Czech Republic (2:3), beat Georgia (1:0), played to a draw against the Czech Republic (1:1) and played to a draw with Georgia (1:1).
Before the last round, the Ukrainian national team with 5 points occupies the last place in its League B group, having finally lost the chances for the first line and direct access to Division A.
At the same time, the “blue-yellows” continue to claim the second position to get into the playoffs for the right to move up in class. To do this, Ukraine needs to defeat Albania and for the Czech Republic not to lose to Georgia in the parallel match. A defeat from the Albanians will definitely mean relegation to Division C for our team.