Acting head coach of Dynamo Ihor Kostiuk answered media questions ahead of the 5th round match of the UEFA Conference League main stage against Italian side Fiorentina.
– Which players are unavailable due to injuries and who has returned to the squad?
– First of all I want to congratulate the entire football community on International Football Day. That’s the first thing. As for injuries… You have probably been following our team. Denys Popov and our captain Vitaliy Buialskii will not be with us but one of our leaders Andriy Yarmolenko as well as Kristian Bilovar have returned to full training with the group.
– Fiorentina have a decisive match against Verona on Sunday in Serie A. Do you expect they might underestimate you in tomorrow’s game?
– Of course we’ve been watching and analyzing their matches. Fiorentina spent €70 million on new players. We also reviewed their games and I wouldn’t say that in matches, that they lost, they actually deserved to lose. In many of those games they played on equal terms with their opponents. Their rotation players – those who are not in the starting lineup – are also of high quality. It’s a worthy team and, in my opinion, they do not deserve to be in last place in the league.
– This is your third match as Dynamo’s coach. What have you brought to the team since your appointment?
– I am a person who doesn’t like making promises. Of course our team is not in the best condition but I assure you that tomorrow there will be no indifferent players on the pitch.
– Dynamo is a club with great history, known across Europe. How do you see team’s prospects in the Conference League? Fiorentina also have a rich history and many years of success in this competition…
– Yes, we’ve had many setbacks but what’s in the past stays in the past. We will try to do everything we can, approach each match aiming for the best possible result. Everything that depends on us – we will try to do. Italians are famous for their tactics, for their ability to transition well from attack to defense and vice versa. Fiorentina are a tactically well-organized team but the upcoming match will show everything. We still have chances to reach the spring stage of the European competition so we will do everything possible.
– You studied Fiorentina well, watched their matches. But do you think you can return to Kyiv with a victory?
– Of course, as I’ve already said, the game will show. We have prepared, Fiorentina are a good team. We are in a similar position – for objective or subjective reasons both teams are not where they should be. They are last in Serie A and we have dropped many points. So it will be an interesting match. People said Fiorentina might field a second-string lineup to prepare for Verona… I won’t comment on that but I am sure that whoever plays tomorrow – starters or substitutes – will not be any worse. And we certainly want to bring home a victory.
– What does it mean for you to be here today and tomorrow not just in a football sense? Do you feel the responsibility to the Ukrainian people and what does their support mean to you?
– You asked Mykola about logistics earlier. I agree, it’s hard but we manage. And we don’t complain because our soldiers have it far more difficult. Today community supports us, military supports us – and we play not only for ourselves but for them as well. Earlier today the Ukrainian Consul Oksana Kalateichuk visited us and said that people will come to the stadium to support Dynamo. For us that’s symbolic and a great responsibility. As I said, tomorrow there will definitely be no indifferent players on the pitch.
