The lights will shine bright at A. Le Coq Arena as Estonia get ready to face Italy once again – just a month after a painful 0-5 defeat. For head coach Jürgen Henn, the rematch is more than just a match; it’s an opportunity to show how much his team has grown in a short time.
Henn began his press conference on a positive note – all 26 players are fit and ready. Yet, as he admitted, not everyone is in full match rhythm. Each player arrives from a different club, with different workloads, and blending them into one cohesive unit takes time.
At the heart of this discussion is captain Karol Mets, whose return has been carefully managed. Henn smiled when asked if Mets would start:
“Physically, he’s ready for a full match,” he said. “But there’s a plan we have to follow. It’s not about rushing him – it’s about doing things right.”
While the veterans anchor the squad, two fresh faces have caught everyone’s attention – Karel Mustmaa and Marten-Chris Paalberg. Both young attackers have impressed in training with their confidence and physicality.
“They’ve fitted in naturally,” Henn noted. “The group has welcomed them, and they’ve shown real quality. I’ve followed them for a while, so this isn’t a surprise — it’s just confirmation.”
Another talking point was Mattias Käit, often deployed on the wing rather than in his favored central role. Henn acknowledged it’s not his perfect position, but one that serves the team’s balance.
“We know where Mattias is most comfortable,” Henn said, “but his pace and strength make him valuable on the wing. We have plenty of midfielders – this gives us flexibility.”
For Henn, midfield success begins with discipline but also with bravery:
“It all starts from solid defense,” he said, “but we still want to play our football – to keep the ball and create when we can.”
Under former coach Thomas Häberli, Estonia often used a five-man defense. Henn, however, prefers a back four – though he won’t rule out change.
“You can’t make hasty switches, but you must stay flexible,” he explained. “With Mets back, we have more options, especially as he’s used to playing in a back three at St. Pauli.”
Italy remain heavy favorites, but Henn’s message to his team is clear – play with courage. Estonia’s qualifying run has been modest, but there’s belief that, at home, they can stand their ground.
“We can’t be naïve, but we must be brave,” said Henn. “We tried to do that in Italy, and we’ll do it again here. Our aim is to play with the same spirit we showed against Norway – organized, determined, and unafraid.”
Tommorow the game inside the sold-out A. Le Coq Arena will start at 9:45 PM local time.
