Kryvyi Rih head coach Yuriy Vernidub spoke about how important the games against Shakhtar are for him.
Yuriy Vernidub- It has always been crucial for you to beat Shakhtar, hasn't it? I remember talking to you after the second match in Kyiv (when Vernidub`s Sheriff drew with Shakhtar in the 6th round of the 2021/22 Champions League - note). And it was worth a lot, because De Dzerby was given very good money for transfers then...
- Back then Shakhtar had a different team, not to insult our guys who play now - almost all are Ukrainians, great very footballers, but back then it was a completely different team. There were a lot of players whom Shakhtar sold for very good money.
Indeed, I think, not only for me, but for any coach in Ukraine, when playing with Shakhtar you always want to win, to draw. It always captures the soul - when you check your level against Shakhtar.
You always want to win or, at the very least, play for a draw. Although I have failed this year. We lost twice, but that's football and the strongest side still wins.
- You did not take Shakhtar to a European Cup meeting...
- And I never will. Because there are regulations and Shakhtar is the same club as Kryvbas. We are used to make some special conditions. Now for the next ten rounds, the main thing is to start fighting for Champions League money.
Now will be the most interesting, the hottest. Everyone will be carrying them in their arms, saying that they`re the only ones... How can Lviv, a team struggling for survival, give Shakhtar the opportunity to play at the Lviv Arena? I do not understand it. It's a joke to me.
As a coach, I would never allow it. You can say from this match that some obscure games are being played there. Isn't it so? It is very strange for me. I was not against postponing it for a day - no questions. But when they say to me: "Let's postpone it altogether"... Okay, you play in the Europa League, but what should I do as a coach?
I played on March 1, with them the game on March 12 - we'll take that game off. Then the match on March 18 and a break for the national teams. Then why did I make a training camp to play one match? Don`t you think that I may also have problems with the results? They say: "We are helping the Ukrainian football. Yes, we all help the Ukrainian football, not only them. The fact that they earn points in the club rankings is an honour and praise.
- They say that these points are for you to go to the Conference League, Europa League.
- I beg you, they are saying this because their number one objective is to take the top spot, get the money from the Champions League and feel at ease. "The interests of Ukrainian football" is disingenuous. And no one can prove it to me. Unfortunately, it is not.
Whining, crying - it's all for the weak. You have 30 people, three squads. It`s for me to worry, if you scrape together 10-15 players - that`s good. And they have all the best Ukrainians who played in Europe, came back and now play for Shakhtar.
