Former Shakhtar player Ihor Leonov shared his expectations from the match of the 13th round of the Ukrainian Premier League against Dynamo in a commentary for UPL TV.
Igor Leonov- I expect a good game from both teams and a lot of goals. I won't reveal the score. It is very important that the viewers watching the broadcast enjoy it, because after all, this is our historic derby. It is important that the teams do without rudeness. I also hope that there will be high-quality refereeing, because without it, the game as such may not take place.
- Do you think that despite Dynamo's current crisis, the Kyiv team will be able to tune in to the game at the right level?
- I think the players don't even need to be prepared for such a game. You can even remove Lucescu, put anyone else in charge and they will be ready. The guys understand what kind of game it is.
- This game is Marino Pušić's debut in the UPL...
- I don't want to talk about him now, because he hasn't worked as a head coach anywhere yet. I can only draw conclusions from the press. But he needs to prove his worth. Will he be able to do it? I wonder! Everything is in his hands. In general, coaching is such a specific job, you work today and not tomorrow. I think Shakhtar should be led by a Ukrainian.
- Who exactly?
- I believe that Rebrov would be the best fit for this role. Yes, many people associate him with Dynamo, but he started his career at Shakhtar, so there would be nothing wrong with that. I think he could have given much more to the guys who are now at Shakhtar.
- What kind of football are you expecting in general?
- I think there will be attacking football on both sides. If 5-6 years ago it was possible to say for sure that Shakhtar would strive to play as the first team, now it is impossible to say that. Neither can we expect exceptionally cautious and defensive football from Dynamo. No one will sit on the defensive.
- What will be the key confrontations?
- It is very important for Shakhtar that Stepanenko's health allows him to play. It is impossible to imagine Shakhtar's centre of the pitch without him. If he is unable to play, it will be a big loss. His level of football and experience cannot be overestimated. The same goes for Rakitskiy. These are two of the team's leading players.
Current odds for Dynamo vs Shakhtar
