Zinchenko ready for ‘most important’ game of his life

MANCHESTER CITY hero Oleksandr Zinchenko has issued a rallying cry to his Ukraine team-mates ahead of what he calls the most important game of his life against Scotland on Wednesday. Zinchenko helped City to a last-day, comeback title triumph after coming on as a half-time sub against Aston Villa in their dramatic 3-2 victory. He will line up at Hampden next week in the Qatar 2022 semi-final play-off, with the winners due to face Wales at Cardiff in the final. And, in an interview in his homeland, he underlined just what the game against the Scots means to him and his under-attack country. He said: ‘There is nothing to say about being motivated for the game. We are all ready to fight to win. Every single player understands what is happening in our country. ‘For me, it will be the most important match of my life. We won’t just give 100 per cent. It will be 200 per cent for every player. ‘It’s been three months since Russia invaded our country. At first, people talked about it a lot, I heard almost everywhere about the war, about what is happening in our country. ‘But somehow over time, it has all subsided a bit and I don’t like it very much. We need to talk about it, we need to shout about it, the whole world needs to know the truth. ‘I do not know if I would be very useful to my country with a machine gun in my hand, but I feel that my mission is to speak with my audience, which I have on social media. I must speak to the world, show and cover everything that is happening in Ukraine. ‘I am very proud to be Ukrainian. When I hold the flag of Ukraine in my hands, it is an unforgettable emotion. This is what every Ukrainian who loves our country must do.’