STUTTGART (Reuters) – Ukraine centre back Ilya Zabarnyi said he turned down an invitation to play for his country at the Paris Olympics because he needs to rest after a long football season.
The 21-year-old played in 37 of AFC Bournemouth’s Premier League games last season before joining up with the national team for the Euros, and another tournament hot on the heels of his German adventure would be too much, he told the Ukrainian FA’s YouTube channel.
“Ukraine is in this (Olympic) tournament for the first time, it is very important but if I go there, I will miss the pre-season training with Bournemouth, I will not be able to recover and rest,” Zabarnyi said.
“It is not critical, but it is very important (to rest), I have a very long season in the Premier League ahead of me, I need to prepare properly.”
Ukraine take on Belgium in their final Group E clash in Stuttgart on Wednesday with all four teams in the group on three points. Romania and Belgium occupy the top two spots on goal difference, ahead of Slovakia and the Ukrainians.
A win on Wednesday would see them through to the knockout stage as one of the top two in the group, piling more football on the young defender and giving him even more reason to skip the Olympics and let others take his place.
“I can’t play football 24/7 – I really want to, but I understand that if I am everywhere, I can burn out,” he said.
“I think that those players who do not play much in their clubs should play in order to gain experience. Footballers who deserve it should play,” he added.
(Reporting by Philip O’Connor, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
