Mladen Bartulovich: "We are satisfied with the team's reaction"

After the match against LNZ, the head coach of "Metalist 1925" Mladen Bartulovich answered journalists' questions:

— A draw in the match against a strong opponent. Are you satisfied with how the team reacted to the previous defeat against "Chernihiv"?

— Yes, of course, we are satisfied with the team's reaction. We did a lot of work in these two to three days to lift the psychological state. Today, the guys came out motivated for the match and, I believe, showed a very good game. We lacked a win, as the opponent is also very strong. We had a chance at the end of the match, could have scored. We dominated most of the game, while LNZ looked for their chances on counterattacks. We understood that this is how the match would unfold, so, you could say, a draw is justified.

— How did the defeat against "Chernihiv" affect the preparation for this match and did the players manage to recover mentally?

— I already said thank you to the team for their attitude. They came out for the match in a good mood. I believe that psychologically we have recovered. We move on as a team and as a club. This defeat will only make us stronger.

— Did the weather factor affect the team's game?

— Yes, the weather was changing, and the wind, especially in the second half, made the game more difficult. The guys also said after the match that it was not easy. It was challenging for both us and LNZ. But it is what it is — we cannot change the weather conditions.

— There were certain tactical changes today. Was it for a specific opponent?

— We prepare separately for each opponent. Today we chose this game plan, and I believe it worked. Through this plan, we scored a goal, but also conceded. We tried to press further, created chances. LNZ looked for their chances on counterattacks and set pieces. We understood that the match would be like this. We needed to better capitalize on our opportunities.

— Today Castillo came on the field and almost scored as a "joker"?

— He deserved his chance. He works well in training, knows how to act in tight spaces. In this match, he made good use of his moment.

— Did you pay attention to the results of other matches today?

— A somewhat unexpected result, to be honest. The tennis score was surprising.