Estonia head coach Jürgen Henn says one or two players will face late fitness checks before the Baltic Cup semi-final against the Faroe Islands. Henn told a pre-match news conference the squad will be assessed after a medical review on Friday evening, with minor issues to be managed following a busy May for several players. He did not name those in doubt.
“We’ll find out in the evening after the medical check. Maybe one or two players are not quite 100% and we have to decide whether we take the risk or not,” Henn said. “We definitely don’t want to take unnecessary risks, because the bench is long enough, but overall the team has trained very well. We’ve done a couple of very strong sessions. Mentally and physically we are well prepared.”
He added: “I wouldn’t say they’re injured. Small concerns. For some, May has been intense, for some it’s the end of the season and they haven’t recovered from everything. Today we’ll review it with the medical staff and decide how big the risk is of using them.”
Henn said the week-long camp has focused on basic principles after a number of players had not been with the national team for more than six months. He pointed to organisation out of possession, compactness, pressing triggers and positioning when defending the penalty area.
Estonia are defending Baltic Cup champions, having beaten the Faroe Islands in the semi-final two years ago on their way to lifting the trophy. “In my head, the Estonia national team never goes on the pitch with any other thought than to get the maximum result,” Henn said.
Henn expects a direct opponent, highlighting the Faroe Islands’ set-piece and crossing threat, physicality and quick transitions. He also noted they have moved to a back five and “found a common rhythm” in recent qualifiers, adding: “We definitely expect a difficult match.”
