---
title: "Vitaliy Ponomarev on LNZ's debut in European competitions: \"We analyzed the opponent, but football is not always logical\""
description: "Head coach of \"LNZ\" Vitaliy Ponomarev, ahead of the historic debut in the Conference League, stated that the team is not afraid of the experienced Belgian \"Gent\". The coach noted thorough preparation and promised full dedication in the match. 🇺🇦⚽🔥"
date: 2026-07-23T08:04:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/ponomarev-lnz-debut-in-european-competitions-and-preparation-for-gent
tags: [lnz, vitaliy-ponomarev, conference-league, gent, ukrainian-football]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Vitaliy Ponomarev on LNZ's debut in European competitions: "We analyzed the opponent, but football is not always logical"

![Vitaliy Ponomarev on LNZ's debut in European competitions: "We analyzed the opponent, but football is not always logical"](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/23/ponomarev-lnz-debyut-v-evrokubkakh-i-podgotovka-k-gentu/ponomarev-lnz-debyut-v-evrokubkakh-i-podgotovka-k-gentu-1.webp)

On the eve of the historic match for the Cherkasy football club "LNZ" in the Conference League, the team's head coach Vitaliy Ponomarev held a pre-match press conference. The coach assessed the current form of his players, spoke about the preparation for the match against Belgian "Gent," and shared his thoughts on the first experience of competing on the international stage.

### Polish city as a temporary base

At the beginning of the conversation with journalists, the specialist expressed gratitude to the Polish city of Płock. It is here that the Cherkasy club settled for the duration of its European campaign, turning the city into a temporary home for the team. Ponomarev emphasized that such participation will be an important stage in the club's development and will give players invaluable experience.

### Attitude towards the opponent and lack of fear

Despite the fact that the opponent from Belgium has significantly more experience in European competitions, the coaching staff of "LNZ" does not feel psychological pressure. According to Ponomarev, the team has thoroughly studied the game of "Gent" and feels ready for the confrontation.

"I can't say that the team is nervous or afraid of the opponent. We respect him, but we are prepared. "Gent" has more experience, but we have analyzed the opponent very well," noted the head coach.

### Psychological readiness and dedication

The specialist also said that the psychological preparation for the international level was carried out during the previous season of the UPL, when the club was fighting for a spot in European competitions. Ponomarev admitted that football is a game that is not always logical, and the outcome can unfold in different ways, but he promised full dedication from his players.

"The only thing I can promise is that our team will play with full dedication and make maximum efforts to achieve a positive result," concluded the coach of the Cherkasy team.