Shakhtar have high-quality play
Tuesday, August 4, 2020
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At a regular pre-match press conference, Wolfsburg coach Oliver Glasner shared his expectation of the game vs Shakhtar
- What conclusions did you make after the first-leg defeat?
- First, I want to express my joy that this game will actually take place after nearly five months since the first leg. Of course, Shakhtar are now in a better position than we are. To win the round, we need to score at least two goals. We believe that Shakhtar will play at the same high level as in the last game. But I want to note that we still have a chance of winning.
- In the course of preparation, how many Shakhtar games did you watch and what new things did you see?
- We analyzed our first meeting that had happened in the spring. But we not only watched, but also played ourselves. We had a number of friendlies which allowed us to prepare well. We are in great shape and ready to play tomorrow. I must admit that Shakhtar's position is better than ours. I suppose this advantage points to the fact that, most likely, the opponents will not change anything significantly in their play. Shakhtar have many players who prove themselves defensively and one-on-one. They have an excellent midfield third. In general, we have deep respect for the opponents. But we are pursuing the major goal of winning it and advancing to the next round of the Europa League which will be held in Germany.
- In the Bundesliga, you claimed three victories in the recent five away games. What’s the phenomenon behind it?
- The secret of this success lies in our confidence. In the Bundesliga, we played 10 away games and performed well.
- What’s the personnel situation in the team?
- Our squad situation is tough: a few players are out now. But we are ready for tomorrow's match and will use all of our staffing opportunities available.
- Wolfsburg played their last competitive game 40 days ago, and Shakhtar did so two and a half weeks ago. Is this factor a plus for you or vice versa?
- We’ve all been thinking about this issue and we tried to find a suitable answer to it. It would be nice if both the opponents and we had the same time to prepare for tomorrow's game. But we discussed with the team how long the vacation would last, how long we would be preparing for the upcoming match, and worked out the best option - we will deliver it tomorrow.
- What Bundesliga side would you compare Shakhtar with?
- It’s difficult to compare clubs from different leagues. I can say for sure that Shakhtar have high-quality play. The footballers’s offensive performance is great which we experienced in the first leg. And at the same time, I would like to note that in the second half the opponents also showcased excellent defensive play. Our task for tomorrow is to overcome those attributes of Shakhtar and to put our best foot forward.
After the press conference, the German team held a training session on the NSC Olimpiyskiy field, the first 15 minutes of which were available for media coverage.
We want to remind you that tomorrow this field will host the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 return leg between Shakhtar and Wolfsburg. The game kicks off at 19:55.
- First, I want to express my joy that this game will actually take place after nearly five months since the first leg. Of course, Shakhtar are now in a better position than we are. To win the round, we need to score at least two goals. We believe that Shakhtar will play at the same high level as in the last game. But I want to note that we still have a chance of winning.
- In the course of preparation, how many Shakhtar games did you watch and what new things did you see?
- We analyzed our first meeting that had happened in the spring. But we not only watched, but also played ourselves. We had a number of friendlies which allowed us to prepare well. We are in great shape and ready to play tomorrow. I must admit that Shakhtar's position is better than ours. I suppose this advantage points to the fact that, most likely, the opponents will not change anything significantly in their play. Shakhtar have many players who prove themselves defensively and one-on-one. They have an excellent midfield third. In general, we have deep respect for the opponents. But we are pursuing the major goal of winning it and advancing to the next round of the Europa League which will be held in Germany.
- In the Bundesliga, you claimed three victories in the recent five away games. What’s the phenomenon behind it?
- The secret of this success lies in our confidence. In the Bundesliga, we played 10 away games and performed well.
- What’s the personnel situation in the team?
- Our squad situation is tough: a few players are out now. But we are ready for tomorrow's match and will use all of our staffing opportunities available.
- Wolfsburg played their last competitive game 40 days ago, and Shakhtar did so two and a half weeks ago. Is this factor a plus for you or vice versa?
- We’ve all been thinking about this issue and we tried to find a suitable answer to it. It would be nice if both the opponents and we had the same time to prepare for tomorrow's game. But we discussed with the team how long the vacation would last, how long we would be preparing for the upcoming match, and worked out the best option - we will deliver it tomorrow.
- What Bundesliga side would you compare Shakhtar with?
- It’s difficult to compare clubs from different leagues. I can say for sure that Shakhtar have high-quality play. The footballers’s offensive performance is great which we experienced in the first leg. And at the same time, I would like to note that in the second half the opponents also showcased excellent defensive play. Our task for tomorrow is to overcome those attributes of Shakhtar and to put our best foot forward.
After the press conference, the German team held a training session on the NSC Olimpiyskiy field, the first 15 minutes of which were available for media coverage.
We want to remind you that tomorrow this field will host the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 return leg between Shakhtar and Wolfsburg. The game kicks off at 19:55.
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