The interim coach of the Bulgarian national football team Atanas Ribarski expressed confidence that our representative team has the potential to leave with success from the visit to Luxembourg. The match is a key first step towards getting out of the severe crisis in the Nations League tournament, as the coaching staff called for more calmness in possession of the ball, better concentration and a clear plan of action on the pitch.
„The Lions“ visit the „Stade de Luxembourg“ on Tuesday at 21:45 in their fourth match of Group 4 in League C. Bulgaria currently occupies the last position in the standings with a modest asset of 1 point and without a single win. The campaign began with a 1:2 defeat to Luxembourg in Plovdiv, although Assen Chandarov opened the scoring in the 17th minute. This was followed by a goalless draw against Estonia and a heavy 0:3 loss to Iceland in Reykjavik a few days ago.
After the defeat on Icelandic soil, Ribarski emphasized the work on improving the ball game and maintaining composure in key episodes of the match:
„Different match, different setup and attitude. We hope to improve the ball game a little. The requirements in defense are a little clearer than in the previous match. We looked at the things that perhaps we didn't have enough to close the first half without conceding a goal. Then we lost focus and concentration. That's the idea - not to lose focus and concentration.“
When choosing the starting 11, the coach is forced to take into account the suspensions of some of the players, as well as the physical condition and accumulated fatigue in the squad:
„There are fluctuations, especially with the balancing of the minutes. Some players have physical problems due to the workload. We also have suspended players, and it is clear that they are already out of the group.“