Mikhail Markhel: «We are in good mood»

Belarus national team head coach accompanied by defender Aleksandr Pavlovets answered the questions of the media ahead of the upcoming matche against Germany.

- What are the latest news from the team's camp?

- Thank God everyone is alive and well. There were doubts about Dragun, but, fortunately, everything is fine. We are getting ready, we are in a good mood, and we are optimistic.

- Today the team held a training session at «Borussia Park» stadium. What are your impressions of the stadium?

- Of course, it is very nice to play in such stadiums. For our team this is a certain test. A very important game for us. And in terms of the future. I think that guys should appreciate such matches. It’s worth living and working for the sake of such matches.

- Sasha, tomorrow there will be a match against a top opponent: for defense, this is probably the most difficult match in the campaign...

- Any defender wants to test himself against strong opponents. To whom the coaching staff will entrust the place in the starting eleven - I think the guys will be happy to do their best against strong strikers.

- Sasha, usually in such matches our team plays a lot without a ball. How to endure it? How do you support yourself in such cases?

- Everyone understands what the German team is, everyone understands how, in principle, we will build our game. You are already subconsciously tuning yourself into it, going out and just doing your job.

- Mikhail, 40 thousand German fans are expected. Is this an extra bit of pressure on the team? Or is such an atmosphere even better?

- I think that we will mainly have a clip of experienced guys in this match. Because experience is a huge deal. I think they already had such matches. I think they should handle it. In any case, I believe in their experience and, I think, it is in such matches that they should show it.

- You close the qualifying campaign with matches against top teams. How do you perceive them: more pressure and a challenge to you?

- On the one hand, it's nice to compare your strengths. Both the football player and the coach, such matches are extremely useful. There are not so many of them. It will be interesting for both me and the guys to fight at this level. I look, in principle, with interest.