Bergodi: '50-50 against Dynamo, but fans don't play the match'

Universitatea Craiova head coach Cristiano Bergodi has shared his thoughts ahead of the second leg of the UEFA Europa League first qualifying round against Dynamo Kyiv. The first encounter in Kyiv ended in a goalless draw, meaning everything is still to play for in Craiova. Bergodi insists his side won't surrender despite acknowledging the quality of the Ukrainian giants. "I can't reveal our exact approach now, but it's going to be a tough match. We need the same mentality, the same commitment, desire and ambition to match them. Dynamo have a big, high-quality squad, but we played well in the first leg and I believe the players are fully focused on this game. In the first match, thanks to our compact defending, we managed to keep a clean sheet. The stats showed we performed really well in the last defensive block and managed to neutralize them. Let's see what kind of game we can produce – it depends on the opponent's strength, whether we have to play higher or sit deeper. That doesn't mean we'll just give up. But this will be a different match because we're playing at home, our fans will be right behind us. We have to be smart because it's a very tough tie. I believe the chances are 50-50, largely because I expect maximum support from the stands. Still, the fans aren't the ones playing. We're facing a powerhouse of Eastern Europe. The lads need to be extremely competitive and have those ambitions. I'm not even afraid of the possibility of penalties – I trust we can play a good match tomorrow. We have to be intelligent, not give them too much space or they will punish you," Bergodi told Digi Sport. The second leg kicks off on July 16 at 20:30 local time. Football.ua will provide a live text commentary.