Dmitry Bulykin, once a striker for the Russian national team and now active in politics, spoke to socialbites.ca about the prospects of Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Estonia in the 2024 European Championship play-offs. He assessed that Ukraine carries a strong chance to reach the Euros, while Kazakhstan faces a tougher path and Estonia appears unlikely to advance. Bulykin noted that while Ukraine may emerge from the play-offs, nothing can be guaranteed. He reminded readers that history has shown teams written off on paper can sometimes win on the field, where momentum and pressure shape outcomes in a knockout setting. Estonia, in his view, has only a slim chance to overcome Poland.
In Path A of the play-offs, Estonia would meet Poland in the semi-finals, with the winner moving on to face either Wales or Finland in the final route. In Path B, Ukraine was drawn to clash with Bosnia and Herzegovina, while Israel and Iceland were set to meet in the other semi-final. Path C paired Kazakhstan against Greece, with Georgia facing Luxembourg in the other semi-final. These matchups underscored how even promising campaigns can hinge on a single result, travel fatigue, and squad depth across the autumn and spring phases of the play-offs.
Separately, Boris Ignatiev, a former coach of the Russian national team, suggested revisiting the international calendar to a spring-autumn format, arguing that such a schedule could improve player availability and team performance. The potential shift would aim to balance domestic league demands with international duties, reducing the risk of clash and fatigue for players who appear in both club and national team competitions. The discussion reflects a broader debate about optimizing tournament timing for the health of players and the competitiveness of national squads in European football.