Today, Nikolaev will take Dynamo in the semi-final of the Cup of Ukraine. The meeting will begin at 18:00. Nikolaevites came second in the history so far in the Cup tournament - before they managed to reach the semi-finals of the USSR Cup in 1969.

- How many fans will the club expect to see on today's match?.

- We are expecting a full stadium, and there already as it will turn out. We hope that almost 17 thousand seats will be filled.

- Why did the team manage to go so far?.

- We initially set the goal to advance in the Cup. Well, when I went fart already - I understood that this should be taken advantage of. The will to win must be allocated. Cup games are always different from the championship matches by the fact that here due to extreme devotion and desire you can go further.

Of course, because of this, the championship suffered. For example, we are playing today with Dynamo, and tomorrow at five o'clock we already leave for Akhtyrka for the game. In the clip we have 12 people and will be replaced by local guys who are 18-19 years old, who did not play especially. Ideally, it would be good to invite in winter 5-6 players who could play somewhere in the Premier League, which would strengthen Nikolaev. But we can not afford it.

At us basically a command quite good, but here in a finishing stage there is no point to put. In the last two games, Borkov scored (3 goals), but he will not be able to play because of the red card in the quarter-finals.

- And who else can not play?.

- Vitaly Momot - he is recovering from surgery. Vahe Sargsyan, Valery Rogozinsky - they have two problems with their backs. The rest will play on pricks - and Dmitry Nazarenko, and Yuri Batyushin, and Artem Kulishenko.

- The exit to the semi-finals of the Cup of Ukraine is a feat for Nikolayev. Now the team will try to please the fans with beautiful football or will focus on the defense to find a chance in a counterattack?.

- In the history of Nikolaev for 100 years this is the second exit to the Cup semi-final. It is clear that this is an achievement. I think we will not act on defense - never played like that. I prefer open football, although sometimes because of this and suffer. Suffering - because there is nobody to score. We have some problems, and so I would love to play in 2 forwards, because I close at my gate and hope for "lucky-no luck" ... We will play according to the situation, according to how much the players will be able to. We'll have to put pressure on someone else's half of the field - we'll press, we'll need to save the ball - we'll save. Let's see how the players will breathe, how much air is enough for this.

Just ridiculous - get up in your own penalty and fight back 90 minutes, somehow I do not like it.

- Is it possible to say that today's game is the main one in your coaching career?.

- I think, yes, it's true..

- What weaknesses can you name in Dynamo?.

- (Laughs). Weak points in the European Cup can be called, you can find in the Premier League. But with the team of the First League - I think that they will not be today, these weaknesses. We all understand that Dynamo needs to win the Cup of Ukraine. Therefore, young people or those who play a little is unlikely we will see today - I think that the combat staff will play, the guys from Dynamo. If it was 1/16 or 1/8 - then one thing, and now - the semi-finals, the teams are set on it seriously.

- The fact that Dynamo once again lost to Shakhtar in the championship of Ukraine - is it a plus or a minus for Nikolayev?.

- For us it's a minus. Dynamo will try to rehabilitate themselves in front of their fans and their dedication will be at the proper level.

- For 26 rounds Nikolayev only played three times in the First League. Today you can expect an uncompromising game?.

- I think yes. But nobody's happy with us today (laughs).

- Did someone in the team give unusual promises in case of a victory over Dynamo? For example, President Montpellier after winning the French championship painted his hair in club colors, and it's blue and orange.

- No, we have not reached this point. We had so much work ... The Football Federation, the PFL, and the Security Service have very big demands for these games ... Well, there were a lot of worries. We last month only and were engaged in this game - and the field was not ready, and many other moments. At us, by and large, at a command only one locker room on stadium and more anything is not present. It was very difficult, we were not allowed to train on the field. In order not to disrupt this game, we trained where we have to - on the playgrounds, on the pebbles, or in general just ran. There were a lot of different moments that did not help us, but on the contrary prevented us from adequately preparing.

- In the end, managed to solve these problems? How?.

- Thanks to Dynamo, who helped prepare the field for the game. Kievans did not give us an ultimatum "if the field is not ready - we will not play", but they arrived, rolled their sleeves and made a field. It's nice this attitude.

- And how did you solve the problem with the locker room?.

- Changing rooms are in good condition.

We do not have a base - only a cloakroom, in which we dress and change, and we restore and massage, and all-all-everything. But they are basically normal - that exit, that the master's - meet all standards.

- Who would you like to see as a rival in the final?.

- We like each other with the Dnieper. I said that I want to play with the Dnieper, and Mikhailenko - with Nikolayev.

Eugene Music, Football. Ua Want to receive instant news about such news immediately on your smartphone? Subscribe to our channel in Telegram! Read more - on this page.