European Football Championship 2021 • Sweden meets Ukraine in the round of 16

Sweden won the group in the European Championship qualifiers after beating Poland 3-2 in St Petersburg. Match winner Viktor Claesson is very happy with the win and believes Sweden will now truly rest in the Round of 16 in Glasgow. However, it will be difficult for Swedish fans to travel to the match due to the UK’s strict quarantine rules.

It’s sad that we can’t have so many Swedish fans, it’s sad that we can’t follow the same rules everywhere in the European Championship. We’ve got five days off now, which is enough, he said.

How do you see the Ukraine meeting?

– We could not explore Ukraine in detail. We’ll take a look at that. It is positive that we get a third set instead of the first or two, we move on to the next round.

– I think Ukraine is happy with us too, if we don’t reach the level it is a team that annoys us. I saw glimpses of their match against the Netherlands and Ukraine looking good.

Why do you think Ukraine is happy with Sweden?

– I just think they prefer to take us at the expense of Spain. People keep underestimating us, we won the group at WC and now in the European Commission, no one believed it. We are so happy.

“You don’t want to jinx anything”

Emil Forsberg believes that Ukraine will be a strong opponent, but is of the opinion that they could have had a tougher resistance.

I don’t want to feel anything and say that playing against Ukraine is easier than playing against Belgium or Croatia, but they are great countries. Getting Ukraine at eight is an advantage but I don’t want to feel anything so we go out. He says Belgium and Croatia sound different.

What distinguishes Ukraine?

– They have great players in Yarmolenko and Zinchenko. Talented football players. It is toxic in counterattacks and will not be an easy challenge at all for us. Our goal of course is to move forward.

“You have to get better at controlling matches.”

Forsberg believes that Sweden should become better at looking after the ball and be able to use their advantage.

– We have to get better at controlling the matches. We are incredibly good at defending and it will be difficult in the long run if we have to run a lot. If we can find solutions where we find surfaces and play, we can rest.

– Now there are small actions sometimes and then you have to go home again. If they put pressure on us, it will be difficult for McCann, Vig and Olsen. It will be a vicious cycle, we have to learn and try to get out of the press and be more brave when we win the ball.

Federation captain Jan Andersson believes many teams now fear Sweden.

– I think the opponents do not like to meet us. They will find it difficult to meet us. We are a good football team and there are many warriors out there.

Read more: Emil Forsberg on the conversation with the daughter: “Come home”

Read more: Slovakia rages after loss: ‘It was a clear hand’

Instructs: All you need to know about the European Football Championship 2021