Leonid Buryak: "It will be difficult for Ukrainian teams to compete in Europe"

About the prospects of competitions in the Ukrainian Premier League and competition in it, the website "Team 1 » talked with the honored coach of Ukraine Leonid Buryak.

— In your opinion, will it be possible to hold a full-fledged championship in Ukraine?

— It doesn't depend on us. It can fly anywhere. Now everything is unpredictable. I really want to hope that the situation in Ukraine will normalize. However, there is a UEFA circular, some points... Our association and, in particular, the president's organization need to calculate all the risks and make the right decision. But in my opinion, it is necessary to play to show the world that Ukraine is alive, and that we have football, there is life, because this situation puts pressure on people.

— Can the upcoming season become unpredictable during independence?

— If the championship takes place, it will already be a success. Yes, many teams have lost their flavor. First of all, it concerns Shakhtar, to some extent Dynamo. However, their tasks will certainly remain the same. There are only a few legionnaires left in Ukraine who can and know how to play well. This will be a purely Ukrainian championship.

— How much will the UPL level fall in connection with the current situation in the country?

- We have no choice. It will be very difficult for domestic teams to play in the European Cups. Our youth also grew up around strong foreigners. And now the competition will not be the same. We had a strong championship, but a lot depends on funding, which at the moment is essentially non-existent compared to other years. Many people write that this is the collapse of Ukrainian football, but I would not rush to conclusions. It's just that there are more important things to do right now.

Serhii DEMYANCHUK