War-affected WC playoffs with Zinchenko's tears and utter madness of Graeme Souness

The whole thing started in late February when the war erupted in Ukraine and subsequently postponed their World Cup playoffs one-leg tie against Scotland. This long-awaited fixture is finally to take place tonight at Hampden Park in Glasgow, and the winner will face Wales in a decider on Sunday.

The fact the match itself transcends football and goes hand in hand with concerning political issues that affected both players of both teams, but also some other relevant names of the game.

WED: 21.45: (2.45) SCOTLAND (3.10) UKRAINE (3.45)

Former Scotland captain and Liverpool legend Graeme Souness has admitted he wants his country to lose their World Cup playoff to Ukraine because he wants to send a message to Russia (!?).

"Part of me keeps coming back to the fact that it's just a game of football, and do I really want to beat them? Whether it's sport, politics, the arts, whatever it is, we must send a message to Russia that it's not acceptable what they are doing.

"I'm going to find myself in a really difficult situation. I'll be emotional. I don't just want Ukraine to qualify. I want them to go there (Qatar) and win it."

On the other hand, Manchester City full-back Oleksandr Zinchenko burst into tears during their press conference at Hampden Park on Tuesday.

"Every Ukrainian wants one thing - to stop this war," said Zinchenko.

"I have also spoken to some Ukrainian kids who just don't understand what's happening back in Ukraine. They only want the war to stop. They have one dream, to stop the war.

"When it comes to football, the Ukrainian team has their own dream. We want to go to the World Cup. We want to give this incredible emotion to the Ukrainians because Ukrainians deserve it so very much at this moment.

"It's impossible to describe these feelings until you are not in this position. The things which are happening now in our country, it's not acceptable. It's something which I cannot even describe."