On July 1st, England will face Slovakia in the round of 16 of the European Championship, competing for a place in the quarterfinals. Ahead of the match, Slovakia coach Francesco Calzona held a press conference.
On England
Calzona: When England perform as a unit, they are a headache. We need to be very careful, they have one of the best squads, both physically and technically. They left some top players at home, because they have so many to choose from. We need to exploit their weaknesses, but we have to be constantly vigilant, they can hurt us at any time.
On Lobotka
Calzona: 3 games, 2 times awarded the most valuable player of the match. He is the cornerstone of the team. He will be facing off against world-class player Bellingham, but he is world-class himself. He has played many great games, and I am confident he will do the same tomorrow. We need to perform as a unit, Lobotka cannot do it all by himself.
On tactics
Calzona: I am fortunate, because I have a very focused team, we want to play attacking football. But we also need to defend well. In a match like this, you need to focus on details. I am 100% confident in my players, they will play a great game. We have our own playing style, our own fighting spirit. I will make some adjustments, but not drastic ones. We will stick to our football style.
On personnel selection
Calzona: Vavro can do some warm-ups, he has had some inflammation in his body for the past year. He could only do individual training, now he is healed and in good condition.
On the match
Calzona: In a situation like this, mental and physical health are crucial. I think we have achieved that, because we are about to face a very strong opponent. Perhaps, we can be calmer, because we are the underdogs. But that doesn’t mean we will enter the match with a defeatist mindset. We will try to win, and I am neither optimistic nor pessimistic about it. I believe in my team, I believe we can play our football. Regardless of who the opponent is.
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