Miron Markevich: “Kolomoisky told me then: “I didn’t ask you to reach the Europa League final at all”

Former Dnipro coach Myron Markevich spoke about the Europa League final against Sevilla, which took place in 2015 and ended with the victory of the Spanish club with a score of 3:2.

- If you remember the final with Sevilla and return that day, May 27, on the eve of the match, what would you do differently?

— (Laughs) To be honest, I did not guess with the replacement. Everything went to a draw there, probably there should have been extra time. I was afraid of something then to let Luchkevich out. I don't know why, to this day it torments me. Luchkevich was on the move then, he worked a lot on the field, but I released Bezus. He played well against Shakhtar a week before the final. I thought Bezus would come out and score.

It is now possible to guess. In principle, we played well in the final. But Sevilla is Sevilla. I remember, when I moved to Dnipro, I asked to take Banega to the team, he then played in Valencia. In principle, we agreed, and he already wanted to go to Dnepr, and for free. He did not have to pay for the contract, he asked for a salary of about 2 million. There were football players in Dnipro who received that kind of money. I asked to take this player, I needed him, but I was refused. And in the final, he led the game of the Spanish team and gave us a lot of problems. Banega in the final is half of Sevilla. It is a pity that the Argentine did not play in our team then.

- They say that once you saw a statement about the salaries of Dnipro players, you were indignant. Do you remember what you said then?

- He said that it shouldn't be like that. Everything needs to be cut. There were no such salaries at Metalist. In Kharkov, bonuses were paid for each game. The guys came out and fought. And in "Dnepr" it was necessary to do so. You need to earn money, and so, it turns out, he went to the field, shook one place, and received a salary. And so every month.

Bonuses in Dnipro were promised to the players only if the team reaches the Europa League final. But they never paid. I am waiting for this money to this day (laughs).

— There was a banquet after the Europa League final. Kolomoisky was also there. Remember what he said then?

- Yes, we were invited, and Kolomoisky then told me: “I didn’t ask you to go to the final at all.” I didn't understand then what he was saying. Then it all became clear what these elephants were talking about. They stopped paying us altogether, even our salaries.

- Do you owe a lot?

— Yes, there are not only debts to me, but to many people. Then the debts of "Dnepr" were not very large. I just had to give half of that amount. I don’t think that it was a lot of money for Igor Valeryevich, thus he would have saved the club with a hundred-year history. But, as Kolomoisky once said: “Only weaklings repay debts.”

- When did you realize that everything was going to collapse in the Dnieper?

— After the Europa League final. We didn't even have food. Rusol and Stetsenko gave their money to at least feed the team. I also joined this process. We had to support the guys somehow. I paid them some bonuses. Did it for myself. I can’t say that that money was decisive for the players. And without them, all the guys went on the field and played - and well.

Maybe you remember Vernydub's phrase that Zorya is already the third in the championship. I then told them: "You need to somehow respond to these words." They heard me and played better than before. I am grateful to all of them for the two years that we spent together. They are all professionals. For nine months we played without getting a penny for our work. Even then, I guessed that the Dnieper was starting to disappear slowly.

- Why do you think, after the Europa League final, Kolomoisky did not sell some players and did not pay off the team? After all, did he have such an opportunity?

- I do not know. This is what you need to ask him. I didn't understand his logic and probably never will. After all, then all standing players left for free. How so? It remains a mystery to me to this day. But Kolomoisky decided so. Well, there's nothing you can do about it. Personally, I continue to live by that "Dnepr". What a great story the team has! How many famous players went through that Dnepr! It's a pity for the team that was simply destroyed.

Alexander PETROV