National team

UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE / OPENING AND CLOSING MATCH WITH RUSSIA, TURKEY FIRST TO COME TO BELGRADE

04.03.2020.

New cycle of the UEFA Nations League draw was held in Amsterdam on 3 March 2020. Former Dutch national team player, Rafael van der Vaart also took part; and Serbian national team found themselves in the group 3 (League B) together with Russia, Turkey and Hungary.

FA of Serbia Sports Director, Vladimir Matijašević attended the draw together with the FA’s management and stated his first impressions about our group:

“It could have been a bit easier; we are in one of the toughest groups. I think we can play with any team and I expect good results. Greatest rivals are Russia and Turkey, but I wouldn’t forget Hungarians either. A lot will depend on the match schedule, but also on the forthcoming European Championship, if we manage to qualify. Everything will be different then, different atmosphere above all else. So, we can’t talk about anything in advance, but it is for sure that these will be interesting matches. It won’t be easy on anyone” – said Matijašević.

Serbian head-coach, Ljubiša Tumbaković does not hide that difficult tasks are awaiting “the Eagles”…

“It is a difficult group, because we play against two teams that managed to qualify to EURO, and Hungary is the team that is getting better from year to year. However, the most important thing now is what is waiting for us in Oslo on 26 March. There will be enough time for us to think about the Nations League competition” – said the head-coach.

For a long time now our team has not played official matches with Turkey, Russia and Hungary…

“It is interesting that as from 2006 and the independence Serbia has not been in some great competition group with these teams. This will be a good opportunity for all of us to be put on a test. In any case, there are three matches with Russia till the end of the year, a friendly in June and then two matches in the Nations League.”

UNL opened us a door to be in a run for EURO, many praise this new UEFA competition…

“I must say that Nations League has justified its establishment and now its existence, and it is definitely a challenge to us to try to qualify for the League A and matches with the greatest European teams. Let me repeat myself, the group is very difficult, serious, probably of the greatest quality in the League B. There will be enough time to focus ourselves on these matches, because the priority now is Norway” – concluded Tumbaković.