The versatile Dynamo Kyiv player shared his impressions of the opening UEFA Europa Conference League match against English side Crystal Palace.
– Oleksandr, you've played in many tournaments throughout your career but today was your debut in a new one. In the first round Dynamo faced the tournament’s main favorite. What are your impressions of the competition and the match?
– Basically, it’s the same type of European tournament because it involves European clubs - just those that finished a bit lower in their domestic leagues. But the teams are still very strong. Crystal Palace, Fiorentina and many others. It’s exciting to face such opponents from the strongest leagues.
– There were lots of fans from both sides at the match today. The team looked very focused and motivated. What were you feeling stepping onto the pitch?
– When you feel that kind of support - even from the opposing team’s fans, from a Premier League club, with 2,500–3,000 fans who sang the entire match... Honestly, even when you watch the Premier League on TV and hear how fans in any city, at any stadium sing and support their teams all match long, you understand the kind of football atmosphere they have. Today we got a small taste of that. It makes you play differently - more focused, maybe even take more risks. You get inspired by that football atmosphere. That definitely played a role and our fans also came to support us. When you feel that atmosphere, you play differently.
Of course we were very seriously prepared for the game - we had analyzed this opponent, we knew how they play: lots of physical battles, quick counterattacks. We were ready for it. Until Mykhavko’s unfortunate collision everything was going very well: we were winning challenges, controlling the flow of the game. Of course, they put pressure on us and we saw they were constantly playing long balls, launching the ball forward - something we had to respond to. We were basically doing everything right and they didn’t really have any dangerous chances. Later, when we conceded an unfortunate goal being down to ten men, we started opening up more and more chances followed. But we stuck to what we had planned so overall the game was going well.
– Crystal Palace is going through one of the best periods in their history - maybe even the best. The team is unbeaten in 19 matches, has won two trophies and is currently third in the Premier League... Would you say they are a team above the Conference League level?
– You could say that, yes - both in terms of the team and their performance. But still we're playing in the Conference League so that’s the level of the competition.
