Great battle
Thursday, February 16, 2023
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Shakhtar head coach Igor Jovicevic summed up the first leg against Rennes (2-1) at the after-match press conference
– In what mood will Shakhtar approach the second leg owing to 2-1 score?
– It was very important to win, to succeed in the first half of these two knockout phase matches and to go to Rennes with a good result. The match gave us a lot of information and we will make a good analysis. Lack of playing experience was a negative factor for us, we knew it because we are playing against Rennes, one of the teams that were in their best form in Europe before the World Cup, having played 17 consecutive matches without defeat. And now, after the FWC and until today, they have a little crisis in results, and we wanted to take advantage of that. But anyway, our last competitive game was on November 23 last year, and obviously you can't be at the same level as Rennes after three months. This team play in the French Ligue 1 that is in the top 5 in Europe. It is really a very good information and understanding of how the team with mettle and quality fight: when quality is multiplied by mettle, it looks like it did in the first half, while there was “fuel”, let's say. We lost control a little bit in the second half because the first line wasn’t so fresh due to the factors that I’ve mentioned, and we didn’t have a desired connection with the ball. They scored, but it's good that we took the initiative again and generally had more chances than the opponents. It is left only to regret that they could not score more because they deserved it. Congratulations to the guys on a great battle today. As I said yesterday, on giving a smile to Mykyta and Illia, two boys who were at the stadium today. While enduring, we realized who we were playing for: for Ukraine, Ukrainian soldiers. We know who we play for and we can never forget that. But this is only the first half. We know that it is going to be a very tough game in Rennes, a return match in front of a large number of fans. They perform very well on own field and this is a good test for us. But, I think, we will be ready for the second leg even a little better than for the first one.
– Did you realize that the Rennes players are younger than the players of your team?
– You saw that our squad includes young players too, but everybody is equal on the football field. It happens that a 17-year-old footballer is worth 100 million. The same Camavinga played for Rennes at the age of 17, didn’t he? If a player is good, he is good no matter what. I would never single out who is older here. According to such logic, I am the best player of the match because I am 49.
– How can you assess Kryskiv’s play? Did he manage to replace Mudryk in this position?
– Dmytro Kryskiv has already shown what he is capable of in a different position through his performance in the previous championship. He is a footballer who has intelligence, has ability to adapt to the team actions. And today he did very well, at the team level. In addition to the scored goal, the second goal started from him – he passed to Konoplia. We worked on several options during entire training camp, and Kryskiv simply fits our playing model now in terms of his characteristics. As I said yesterday, we must learn to live without Mudryk, who was giving us completely different characteristics. Unlike him, Kryskiv is a different player, but he can still provide a lot of benefits in this position. So now we are adapting to him in this position. And again: I congratulate the team because we knew that it would be difficult today as for the first competitive match. Training camp in Turkey and today’s match are completely different sports. There was such a level of adrenaline and stress today that we haven't experienced in three months. As for the first game, it is good information for us: how to prepare, what conclusions to make for the second leg as a very hot atmosphere is waiting for us there. You know that Rennes have great fans, excellent stadium, that they will go forward from the first minutes and create many difficulties for us. We have a good result keeping us in good form and I think we will feel even better in the second match. Because in the second half, as you noticed, the dynamics dropped a little and it is normal. They also risked it all on inertia after scoring a goal, although then they calmed down and we took control of the match again and had several opportunities. It's a pity we didn't score – the result would have been completely different. But they did not have specific chances that we did. However, it is okay in general, congratulations to the guys on the first half.
– Did Rennes impress you in any way or everything happened as expected?
– We have carefully analysed Rennes, many recent matches: and when they pushed their winning streak, and the last 10 matches when they really went into a little crisis based on results, where they have problems with winning. If I am not mistaken, today they had their sixth defeat. All teams have their crisis. There are no team in the world that do not fall into some kind of crisis, and Rennes are no exception. But still, we wanted to compensate for the lack of our game tone with motivation and execution of our tactical plan, which we challenged ourselves with through the analysis that I mentioned. Because they are a very pressing team, very aggressive, playing in this formation in the opponent's half of the field; many goals were scored after pressing near the opponent's net. And here, if there is a minimum mistake, they will take advantage of it. Yes, I see that they have problems with injuries, but we also have a suboptimal line-up. Taking into account all the pros and cons, we must not forget in which championship they are playing, and we have not started it yet. The Turkish training camp and today's match, as I have told you already, cannot be compared. Therefore, it was interesting for us to find out where we will be today, how we will look. But I see that when the team fight for each other like Cossacks, their quality simply cannot disappear. Because the motivation was sky-high, and it was visible. Especially when there was enough "fuel" in the first half. In the second half, they calmed down a little, had opportunities, but it is a pity that they did not score the third goal, which would have made it even easier. And we have a very difficult match ahead, so we will prepare.
– What was crucial for your victory – the motivation you mentioned or some other factors?
– Of course, you cannot outplay the team like Rennes if you do not have tactical discipline, individual responsibility, game organization, mental stability – all factors needed to win a match at this level. It is a very big challenge for us to keep the same emotions that were in the Champions League. And we want to win and repeat the same feelings: to feel strong, powerful in the efforts that we make on the football pitch. I think we deserved to win today. We struggled in the second half, that is also obvious, but overall had more chances to win the game by a considerable margin. I think that if the lack of game practice is not compensated for by motivation, then the result will definitely be a defeat. Because the tone that they have and the one we have are simply impossible to compare. That is why you have to find other ways, motivational, emotional, tactical, to neutralize their game, their pressing, to neutralize Doku, Bourigeaud, Gouiri, Kalimuendo, who are top players. And the analysis helped us compensate for physical disadvantages with tactical discipline and motivation.
– It was very important to win, to succeed in the first half of these two knockout phase matches and to go to Rennes with a good result. The match gave us a lot of information and we will make a good analysis. Lack of playing experience was a negative factor for us, we knew it because we are playing against Rennes, one of the teams that were in their best form in Europe before the World Cup, having played 17 consecutive matches without defeat. And now, after the FWC and until today, they have a little crisis in results, and we wanted to take advantage of that. But anyway, our last competitive game was on November 23 last year, and obviously you can't be at the same level as Rennes after three months. This team play in the French Ligue 1 that is in the top 5 in Europe. It is really a very good information and understanding of how the team with mettle and quality fight: when quality is multiplied by mettle, it looks like it did in the first half, while there was “fuel”, let's say. We lost control a little bit in the second half because the first line wasn’t so fresh due to the factors that I’ve mentioned, and we didn’t have a desired connection with the ball. They scored, but it's good that we took the initiative again and generally had more chances than the opponents. It is left only to regret that they could not score more because they deserved it. Congratulations to the guys on a great battle today. As I said yesterday, on giving a smile to Mykyta and Illia, two boys who were at the stadium today. While enduring, we realized who we were playing for: for Ukraine, Ukrainian soldiers. We know who we play for and we can never forget that. But this is only the first half. We know that it is going to be a very tough game in Rennes, a return match in front of a large number of fans. They perform very well on own field and this is a good test for us. But, I think, we will be ready for the second leg even a little better than for the first one.
– Did you realize that the Rennes players are younger than the players of your team?
– You saw that our squad includes young players too, but everybody is equal on the football field. It happens that a 17-year-old footballer is worth 100 million. The same Camavinga played for Rennes at the age of 17, didn’t he? If a player is good, he is good no matter what. I would never single out who is older here. According to such logic, I am the best player of the match because I am 49.
– How can you assess Kryskiv’s play? Did he manage to replace Mudryk in this position?
– Dmytro Kryskiv has already shown what he is capable of in a different position through his performance in the previous championship. He is a footballer who has intelligence, has ability to adapt to the team actions. And today he did very well, at the team level. In addition to the scored goal, the second goal started from him – he passed to Konoplia. We worked on several options during entire training camp, and Kryskiv simply fits our playing model now in terms of his characteristics. As I said yesterday, we must learn to live without Mudryk, who was giving us completely different characteristics. Unlike him, Kryskiv is a different player, but he can still provide a lot of benefits in this position. So now we are adapting to him in this position. And again: I congratulate the team because we knew that it would be difficult today as for the first competitive match. Training camp in Turkey and today’s match are completely different sports. There was such a level of adrenaline and stress today that we haven't experienced in three months. As for the first game, it is good information for us: how to prepare, what conclusions to make for the second leg as a very hot atmosphere is waiting for us there. You know that Rennes have great fans, excellent stadium, that they will go forward from the first minutes and create many difficulties for us. We have a good result keeping us in good form and I think we will feel even better in the second match. Because in the second half, as you noticed, the dynamics dropped a little and it is normal. They also risked it all on inertia after scoring a goal, although then they calmed down and we took control of the match again and had several opportunities. It's a pity we didn't score – the result would have been completely different. But they did not have specific chances that we did. However, it is okay in general, congratulations to the guys on the first half.
– Did Rennes impress you in any way or everything happened as expected?
– We have carefully analysed Rennes, many recent matches: and when they pushed their winning streak, and the last 10 matches when they really went into a little crisis based on results, where they have problems with winning. If I am not mistaken, today they had their sixth defeat. All teams have their crisis. There are no team in the world that do not fall into some kind of crisis, and Rennes are no exception. But still, we wanted to compensate for the lack of our game tone with motivation and execution of our tactical plan, which we challenged ourselves with through the analysis that I mentioned. Because they are a very pressing team, very aggressive, playing in this formation in the opponent's half of the field; many goals were scored after pressing near the opponent's net. And here, if there is a minimum mistake, they will take advantage of it. Yes, I see that they have problems with injuries, but we also have a suboptimal line-up. Taking into account all the pros and cons, we must not forget in which championship they are playing, and we have not started it yet. The Turkish training camp and today's match, as I have told you already, cannot be compared. Therefore, it was interesting for us to find out where we will be today, how we will look. But I see that when the team fight for each other like Cossacks, their quality simply cannot disappear. Because the motivation was sky-high, and it was visible. Especially when there was enough "fuel" in the first half. In the second half, they calmed down a little, had opportunities, but it is a pity that they did not score the third goal, which would have made it even easier. And we have a very difficult match ahead, so we will prepare.
– What was crucial for your victory – the motivation you mentioned or some other factors?
– Of course, you cannot outplay the team like Rennes if you do not have tactical discipline, individual responsibility, game organization, mental stability – all factors needed to win a match at this level. It is a very big challenge for us to keep the same emotions that were in the Champions League. And we want to win and repeat the same feelings: to feel strong, powerful in the efforts that we make on the football pitch. I think we deserved to win today. We struggled in the second half, that is also obvious, but overall had more chances to win the game by a considerable margin. I think that if the lack of game practice is not compensated for by motivation, then the result will definitely be a defeat. Because the tone that they have and the one we have are simply impossible to compare. That is why you have to find other ways, motivational, emotional, tactical, to neutralize their game, their pressing, to neutralize Doku, Bourigeaud, Gouiri, Kalimuendo, who are top players. And the analysis helped us compensate for physical disadvantages with tactical discipline and motivation.