Sandro Perković on the match against Dynamo Kyiv: pre-match press conference ahead of the UEFA Conference League

On December 18, the 6th round match of the main stage of the UEFA Conference League will take place in the Polish city of Lublin, where Dynamo Kyiv will host Yerevan-based Noah.

After five rounds, Noah have collected 8 points and continue their fight for a place in the playoffs, while also retaining chances of finishing in the top eight. Dynamo Kyiv, meanwhile, have already lost their chances of progressing further in the tournament.

Ahead of the match, Noah head coach Sandro Perković answered journalists’ questions at a press conference.

Press conference of Noah head coach Sandro Perković

— After the win over Legia, you said that 8 points could be enough to reach the playoffs. Were you able to motivate the team for another victory?

— I always try to motivate my players to the maximum for a win. Tomorrow we will see how it works out. We haven’t reached our goal yet, but we are very close, and the most important thing is that everything is in our hands. I expect a good performance from my team, as we are playing against a strong club.

— How ready is the team after such an emotional victory over Legia?

— Yes, you are right, the previous match was very emotional, and it’s not easy to recover from that. However, we had enough time to prepare. We know what we are playing for, and we are ready.

— What is your opinion of Dynamo Kyiv?

— I think Dynamo Kyiv is a very prestigious club with a great history. Their squad is very strong, and they have recently changed their head coach. They play a very attacking style using 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 formations. Their full-backs are very offensive, and the players are physically strong. Their results are not as good as before, but I respect this team a lot. To achieve success, we need to show the same level of football as we did against Legia.

— Recently, Noah have been using many crosses into the penalty area. Is this because of having a striker like Nardin Mulahusejnović?

— I wouldn’t say it’s my preferred style, but I try to adapt the playing style to the squad in order to use the players’ best qualities. If you have a striker like Nardin, you need to deliver many crosses, because he is very strong in aerial duels. His 5 goals in the Conference League prove that.

— Timothy Fayulu will miss the match due to national team duty. What is the condition of Ognen Čančarević?

— Yes, Timothy is with the DR Congo national team. I am satisfied with all our goalkeepers: Čančarević, Koneglian, Ploščadny, and also the young Kim Tovmasyan. I fully trust all of them. Ognen is training very well, has a lot of experience, and can replace Fayulu. As for the Armenian national team, that is not my question to answer.

— Can you name the most dangerous Dynamo Kyiv player?

— I don’t like to speak about individual players, as football is a team game, but if I have to name one, I would say Andriy Yarmolenko.

— What kind of emotions and messages did you receive from the fans after the last match?

— The most important thing was that we felt their support and energy. When we were losing 0–1, they became our 12th player. I can say that after the Legia match it felt nicer to be Noah’s head coach than after the match against BKMA.

The Dynamo Kyiv vs Noah match will take place on Thursday, December 18, in Lublin, Poland, at Arena Lublin Stadium. Kick-off is at 00:00 Yerevan time.

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