Sweden coach Janne Andersson expecting no easy ride at Euro 2020 knockout stages
Sweden coach Janne Andersson maintains there is no “winning ticket” in the last 16 of Euro 2020 as they prepare to face Ukraine at Hampden Park on Tuesday night.
The Swedes booked their place in the knockout stage after winning Group E ahead of Spain.
Meanwhile, Andriy Shevchenko’s men progressed as the lowest ranked of the four best third-placed teams, having suffered defeats against both Holland and Austria.
Victory in Glasgow will secure a quarter-final date against either England or Germany in Rome on Saturday.
Andersson, though, rejected suggestions Sweden had been handed an easy ride as they look to make a deep run into the tournament.
“There is no winning ticket at this stage – every team that is qualified is really good,” Andersson told a press conference.
“You have to take advantage of your chances and do your best to go through.
“We had a good training session yesterday and a review of what type of team the Ukraine is and what type of game we can do to try to win.”
RB Leipzig winger Emil Forsberg, who scored twice in the group win over Poland, is expected to be fit despite sitting out training on Saturday and Andersson reported no fresh selection concerns.
The Sweden boss knows he will again need to utilise all of his options in Glasgow.
“It is a long time since I thought that I did not have quality to bring on,” he said. “Players, though, become tired and sometimes we want some fresh legs.
“I am really happy that I can make substitutions to change the game.
“You can always evaluate how early or late you make them – my wife likes to say that I make the substitutions too late, but you are allowed to think what you like.
“My principle is the starting XI should have a chance to do their job.”
Should Sweden fail to get through, it could signal the end of captain Sebastian Larsson’s international career.
However, the 36-year-old AIK midfielder – who had spells at Arsenal, Birmingham, Sunderland as well as Hull – is just focussing on the here and now.
“There is no easy opponent at this stage, as the results so far have shown,” Larsson said.
“We have huge respect for Ukraine, but if we do as well as is possible, we can go through and that is what we are going to aim for.”
Ukraine boss Andriy Shevchenko could look to freshen up his side, having lost 1-0 against Austria in Bucharest which left them sweating on results elsewhere to qualify, eventually edging out Finland on goal difference.
Striker Roman Yaremchuk is a fitness concern, along with midfielder Viktor Tsygankov and winger Oleksandr Zubkov.
Shevchenko, though, expects whatever side he sends out at Hampden to tackle the Swedes head on.
“We have nothing to lose now. Everything else will be a big bonus for us,” Shevchenko said on www.EURO2020.com.
“Sweden are a very organised team. They have a certain style of play, and they always keep to it. The things they do, they do them very well.”
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Sweden vs Ukraine - Match Preview
Sweden coach Janne Andersson maintains there is no “winning ticket” in the last 16 of Euro 2020 as they prepare to face Ukraine at Hampden Park on Tuesday night.
The Swedes booked their place in the knockout stage after winning Group E ahead of Spain.
Meanwhile, Andriy Shevchenko’s men progressed as the lowest ranked of the four best third-placed teams, having suffered defeats against both Holland and Austria.
Victory in Glasgow will secure a quarter-final date against either England or Germany in Rome on Saturday.
Andersson, though, rejected suggestions Sweden had been handed an easy ride as they look to make a deep run into the tournament.
“There is no winning ticket at this stage – every team that is qualified is really good,” Andersson told a press conference.
“You have to take advantage of your chances and do your best to go through.
“We had a good training session yesterday and a review of what type of team the Ukraine is and what type of game we can do to try to win.”
RB Leipzig winger Emil Forsberg, who scored twice in the group win over Poland, is expected to be fit despite sitting out training on Saturday and Andersson reported no fresh selection concerns.
The Sweden boss knows he will again need to utilise all of his options in Glasgow.
“It is a long time since I thought that I did not have quality to bring on,” he said. “Players, though, become tired and sometimes we want some fresh legs.
“I am really happy that I can make substitutions to change the game.
“You can always evaluate how early or late you make them – my wife likes to say that I make the substitutions too late, but you are allowed to think what you like.
“My principle is the starting XI should have a chance to do their job.”
Should Sweden fail to get through, it could signal the end of captain Sebastian Larsson’s international career.
However, the 36-year-old AIK midfielder – who had spells at Arsenal, Birmingham, Sunderland as well as Hull – is just focussing on the here and now.
“There is no easy opponent at this stage, as the results so far have shown,” Larsson said.
“We have huge respect for Ukraine, but if we do as well as is possible, we can go through and that is what we are going to aim for.”
Ukraine boss Andriy Shevchenko could look to freshen up his side, having lost 1-0 against Austria in Bucharest which left them sweating on results elsewhere to qualify, eventually edging out Finland on goal difference.
Striker Roman Yaremchuk is a fitness concern, along with midfielder Viktor Tsygankov and winger Oleksandr Zubkov.
Shevchenko, though, expects whatever side he sends out at Hampden to tackle the Swedes head on.
“We have nothing to lose now. Everything else will be a big bonus for us,” Shevchenko said on www.EURO2020.com.
“Sweden are a very organised team. They have a certain style of play, and they always keep to it. The things they do, they do them very well.”
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