--- title: "“I'm impressed by Moldera's approach”: Levchenko on Ukraine's start in the Nations League and the window of opportunity for players" description: "Former footballer Evgeny Levchenko, in an exclusive comment to Sport RBC.UA, assessed the start of the Ukraine national team in the UEFA Nations League under Andrea Moldera and called it a chance for the players." date: 2026-09-22T06:58:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/levchenko-on-ukraines-start-in-the-nations-league-en tags: [ukraine-national-team, uefa-nations-league, andrea-maldera, evgeny-levchenko, football] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # “I'm impressed by Moldera's approach”: Levchenko on Ukraine's start in the Nations League and the window of opportunity for players ![Artem Levchenko in front of a stadium: comments on Ukraine's start in the Nations League and coach Maldery's approach](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/22/levchenko-ob-starte-sbornoy-ukrainy-v-lige-naczij/levchenko-ob-starte-sbornoy-ukrainy-v-lige-naczij-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Evgeny Levchenko believes that the change of coach to Andrea Moldera opens a window of opportunity for Ukraine national team players to present themselves. - The expert positively assessed the personnel policy of the new staff, which called up young footballers and players who had not enjoyed the trust of Serhiy Rebrov. - The Ukraine national team will play Hungary on September 25, Georgia on September 28, and two “home” matches in early October will be held in Slovakia. Former Ukraine national team and Dutch “Sparta”, “Willem II” and “Groningen” footballer Evgeny Levchenko, in an exclusive comment to Sport RBC.UA, commented on the national team's first matches in the UEFA Nations League. On September 25, 2026, Andrea Moldera's team will play against Hungary, and on September 28 they will face Georgia. According to the expert, a “window of opportunity” is now opening for a significant part of the national team players to prove themselves in the best way under new conditions. ### A new window of opportunity for players Levchenko emphasized that the change in coaching staff and approach creates a rare chance for footballers to show themselves. “I would like them to start well. We have a new coach, a new approach, new emotions. I hope many footballers understand how great a chance this is for them to prove themselves in the best traditions,” the expert stated. In his opinion, such turning points in the national team's life are most valuable for players' careers, as they give the opportunity to reassess their status in the team. ### The new staff's personnel policy Levchenko separately noted the personnel policy of the new coaching staff. According to him, Andrea Moldera, together with young footballers, called up players who were not popular with the previous coach Serhiy Rebrov. “I think it's always great to see when there's a new coach who gives the chance to show themselves to both young footballers and those who were written off by the previous coach. I think this is very right,” Levchenko summed up, considering such an approach correct and fair. ### Expectations of the game and Moldera's approach The expert positively assessed Moldera's approach to the job and his attitude to the footballers. In this regard, Levchenko expects the Ukraine national team to show a different character of play compared to performances under the previous coaching staff. “Hungary, Georgia, Northern Ireland — serious opponents. But in terms of experience, these are excellent matches. If we speak globally, I expect a different game from this team than there was under the previous head coach. Overall, I'm impressed by Moldera's approach in terms of how he communicates, how he positions himself. By all parameters, I think this coach has a more even, human approach than the previous coach had,” Levchenko noted. ### Match schedule for the cycle In the current match cycle, the Ukraine national team will play four matches. First, the team will play two away games — against Hungary and Georgia — and then two nominally home matches, which will fall on the beginning of October. At the same time, the “home” matches will be played on neutral ground — in Slovakia, which will be an additional factor the team has to consider in the opening stretch of the tournament. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [“I'm impressed by Moldera's approach”: Levchenko on Ukraine's start in the Nations League](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/football/imponue-pidhid-malderi-levchenko-start-zbirnoyi-1790060130.html) - Первичный источник: эксклюзивный комментарий Евгения Левченко. Подтверждает даты матчей (25.09 — Венгрия, 28.09 — Грузия), имя тренера Андреа Мальдеры, состав группы (Венгрия, Грузия, Северная Ирландия), проведение «домашних» матчей в Словакии и кадровую политику штаба. - [Nations League. Quarter-finals. Italy lost to the USA, Ukraine lost to Poland, other results](https://www.sports.ru/volleyball/1117316180-liga-naczij-1-4-finala-sloveniya-vstretitsya-s-turcziej-yaponiya-sygra.html) - Материал посвящен волейбольной Лиге наций (ссылка на раздел volleyball), а не футбольной. Не подтверждает и не опровергает футбольные факты статьи. - [Men's Volleyball Nations League — 2026, results of the third week's matches, standings, who ...](https://www.championat.com/volleyball/article-6552314-muzhskaya-volejbolnaya-liga-nacij-2026-rezultaty-matchej-tretej-nedeli-turnirnaya-tablica-kto-sygraet-v-finalnom-etape.html) - Материал о мужской волейбольной Лиге наций 2026, не связан с футбольной сборной Украины. - [Volleyball, Men's Nations League — 2026: all participants, format, full match schedule, standings ...](https://www.championat.com/volleyball/article-6499896-volejbol-muzhskaya-liga-nacij-2026-vse-uchastniki-format-polnoe-raspisanie-matchej-turnirnaya-tablica-favority.html) - Материал о мужской волейбольной Лиге наций 2026, не связан с футбольной сборной Украины. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: When will the Ukraine national team play its first matches in the UEFA Nations League? **A:** According to Evgeny Levchenko, on September 25, 2026, Andrea Moldera's team will play against Hungary, and on September 28 they will face Georgia. Both matches will be away. ### Q: Who is the head coach of the Ukraine national team and what does Levchenko expect from him? **A:** The head coach is Andrea Moldera. Levchenko expects a different game from the team compared to the period of the previous staff's work and notes the new coach's more even, “human” approach to the footballers. ### Q: Where will the Ukraine national team play its “home” matches in the cycle? **A:** The two nominally home matches in early October 2026 will be played by the Ukraine national team on neutral ground — in Slovakia.