Anatoliy Trubin, Benfica’s Ukrainian goalkeeper, revealed that he didn’t always believe that Sudakov’s transfer to Benfica was possible. The high price that Shakhtar asked for the midfielder’s pass raised doubts in the 24-year-old player.
«Benfica seemed like an almost impossible option. Because if Shakhtar didn’t accept [proposta de] €40 million, so I was probably expecting an even bigger budget. And, for Benfica, it seemed to me, it was not a priority to sign for such high prices. Over time, something changed – I don’t know, maybe Shakhtar’s rhetoric. And I’m very happy that everything went well.”, Trubin said, speaking to the Ukrainian portal Futebol 24.
The goalkeeper believes, however, that Sudakov’s move (signed for 27 million) to Lisbon represents a step forward in his compatriot’s career and is pleased to have someone close to him in the Eagles’ squad: «For him I think it’s a step forward. Furthermore, it will be easier for him to adapt here, which is great. I’m also very happy, because not only did a Ukrainian player join the team, he’s also a friend.”
The Ukrainian international in goal for Benfica, who has played 26 games this season for the Eagles, also addressed the difference between the Portuguese and Ukrainian leagues: «Sudakov summarized this very precisely: compared to the Ukrainian championship, here almost every team has one, two or three players of a very high level who create constant danger. Therefore, every game in Portugal demands the most from you. You can’t afford not to be 100 percent. Unfortunately, in Ukraine, sometimes, even without ideal preparation and with some mistakes, you can still play and win. Here, that doesn’t happen. You always have to be 100 percent, and perhaps that is the main difference.”
Trubin was also invited to draw a comparison between the preparation of goalkeepers in the national team and at Benfica. «The main difference is that, when you reach the national team, there is almost no time. The last concentration, to be honest, was perhaps the shortest since I’ve been on the national team. I think it lasted about a week. You hardly have the opportunity to fully train and prepare yourself. It’s more of a work to maintain physical fitness. It’s different at the club. Even if the game is in three days, you work every day, you prepare daily, there is a stable training process. In the national team, you arrive after a game, recover and, the next morning, you can have training to adapt to the pitch. Therefore, in the national team, the focus is more on maintaining physical condition and, of course, on adapting to the opponent, analyzing them, but for that we have a very, very short period”, he observed.
Finally, the ambitions of the Ukrainian team, led by Rebrov, which aims to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. Ukraine will discuss access to the 2026 World Cup with Sweden. «Unfortunately, it seems that we are unable to do anything calmly and in advance. The World Cup is, of course, a very important and grand objective. The last time we were there was in 2006, I believe, so it would, without a doubt, be something very, very good for us. And not just qualify, but also perform well and try to get through the group stage. The first task is to reach the World Cup. I think this is a goal and a dream not only for the players, but also for all fans, for all Ukrainians. When the national team plays, everyone watches football, even those who normally don’t follow it closely», concluded Trubin.
