“Zarya wants to win and return the intrigue to the group”

Zorya coach Viktor Skripnik spoke to reporters ahead of the Europa League group stage match against Braga. The game will take place on Thursday starting at 7:55 pm.

– Tomorrow is a very important match for us, considering that we lost the first round and the current competitor won the match at home. Tomorrow we play at home, I want the intrigue to return and we hope for a positive result tomorrow.

We understand that Braga is a very well played team that practically plays with the same line-up. There are many Brazilians, Portuguese, all technical. But we want to show our level, our game at home and give all our strength so that the positive result stays in Zaporozhye.

– The Braga coach thanked the organization of the match and would like to know how Zorya will face tomorrow.

– I don’t want to tell all the secrets the day before the game. We always investigate our rivals, the players know how to find an approach to the rival. To compare Braga’s past matches with Zarya, almost 80% of the players who were in the line-up, stayed, so they are already familiar to us. We have also changed a bit of players, the style of play has changed. But if you don’t believe in yourself, then there is no point going into the field. We want to show enthusiasm tomorrow, we play at home, especially the fans will come, we want to please them with a good game. And since all the components of the game are connected to achieve victory, standards and pressure are important, and the ball must be held and played in a row. There are also many nuances to these matches.

– What about the staffing problem on the team now?

– As, in principle, every team has people who played a couple of days ago in the game. The boys have minor injuries and we have the entire combat unit that we have so much on the field. In the same situation, all the teams that pass the European Cups, we hope so. Considering that we play at home, we will do everything we can to restore intrigue to our group and perform well, to win tomorrow.

– Previously, Zorya already played with Braga. Did you ask the players about moments from past games?

– Of course they were. Our team has changed and they have changed during this period. Yes, there are players who participated in the game against our team, but everything is changing. Now we are seeing how they play, their tactics are 4 defenders, 4 midfielders, 2 forwards. The same people play 4 games in a row, but this should not affect us. Emotions are good, but you have to play “with a warm heart and a cool head.”

– At the moment it is known that Abu Hannah and Juninho are absent from the team. If so, do you have enough advocates? Do you have a problem with this or is there a decent replacement?

– Juninho will not help us, for the simple reason that now he is doing a visa, he is currently abroad. Abu Hannah trains in the general group, in full force. Whether or not he will play is a moot point. We are happy with the type of team we have and the composition we have. Those guys out there, they deserve it. It seems to me that any team in the world only wants to improve, but now we are in a period in which we must only look at what we have, improve and play with Braga.

– Were you happy, including the team, that the game was played with the fans?

– That is why we enter the field, for the fans we play. The atmosphere of his presence and absence is different, distinctive. Sometimes unwanted emotions are heard later, because the echo spreads throughout the stadium when there are no fans in the stands. This whole situation is unusual, even if you don’t want to, but you’re getting used to it little by little. And when they announce that the game will be played with a small number of fans, it immediately pleases. I hope we don’t disappoint the people who are coming tomorrow.