Andriy Chevchenko and Gareth Southgate are in Rome for a mission. To lift the Covid 19 gloom in their countries by gate crashing the Euro 2020 Semis. Southgate has a frenzied media behind him. And some overated stars such as Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling and Harry Muguire.
Sheva has a tenacious army that he has motivated to knock out big, big names. And he will seek to do the same today.
Come midnight Kenyan time, one of these managers will tell the press how hard his team worked and why they deserved to win.
England will attempt to qualify for their first men’s European Championship semi-final for 25 years when they face Ukraine at Euro 2020 on Saturday.
Having ended a 55-year wait for a knockout-tie victory over Germany at an ecstatic Wembley on Tuesday, Gareth Southgate’s side will face the Czech Republic or Denmark at the national stadium if they win in Rome.
After playing their first four games at Wembley, Saturday’s match in Italy’s capital – at 20:00 BST – is England’s first away from home at Euro 2020.
Covid travel restrictions mean fans in the UK have been told not to travel to the game, so there are likely to be more Ukraine fans in the Stadio Olimpico than England supporters.
Southgate, who guided England to the semi-final of the World Cup in 2018, said: “Our players were used to playing in front of no fans last season and having to create their own atmosphere.
“You need leadership on the pitch in these moments and we have got some very good leaders.”
Should England win, they would reach the semi-finals of the European Championship for the first time since Euro 96.
They are undefeated at Euro 2020 and have yet to concede a goal.
Winger Bukayo Saka suffered a “slight knock” in training on Friday but other than that the Three Lions have a fully-fit squad.
However, Southgate has to decide whether to keep the same starting line-up that played against Germany or make changes.
He implemented a 3-4-3 formation for the win against Germany and he must decide whether to revert to a back four.
Midfielder Jack Grealish came on as a substitute in that win with the score 0-0 before laying on the assist for Harry Kane to make it 2-0 after Raheem Sterling had opened the scoring.
Midfielder Mason Mount was an unused substitute after only just completing self-isolation, and could return to the side.
Four players would miss a potential semi-final if they receive a yellow card against Ukraine, including defender Harry Maguire and midfielders Kalvin Phillips and Declan Rice.
All three were booked against Germany and a second yellow would trigger an automatic ban for the next game. Forward Phil Foden was booked in the first group game against Croatia but did not play against Germany.
“We won’t make any decisions based on yellow cards,” added Southgate. “It would be an insult to Ukraine.”
Ukraine will be without forward Artem Besedin for approximately six months after suffering a knee ligament injury in the last-16 win over Sweden.
Captain Andriy Yarmolenko, who has scored two goals in four games at Euro 2020, was forced off in that game with an apparent injury but is hoping to be fit.
Yarmolenko is one of four players on a yellow card, with the other three Artem Dovbyk, who hit the 120th-minute winner against Sweden, Mykola Shaparenko and fellow midfielder Serhiy Sydorchuk.
