Dinamo forward Shevchenko on his headbutt to the referee's chest: "I regret only one thing - that I did not hit harder"

Dinaz forward Vyacheslav Shevchenko commented on the scandalous episode that took place in the first league match against Girnyk-Sport.

In the 60th minute of the game, with the score 0-1, the visitors' forward Vyacheslav Shevchenko, who came on as a substitute in the second half, received a yellow card from referee Vasyl Faida for talking, and four minutes later a straight red card. This made Shevchenko angry, and he hit the referee in the chest with his head, in the style of Zinedine Zidane in the World Cup final against Italy, when the Frenchman stunned Marco Materazzi in the same way.

- Viacheslav, what happened at that moment with the referee, why did you react like that?

- It all happened, of course, because of the biased refereeing. I just couldn't watch it - how young guys who are just starting to play football are being killed by someone with a whistle and mocked.

I respect judges, I communicate with many of them personally, and in my entire career I do not remember such cases from myself in relation to judges. But in this situation, I only regret one thing - that I didn't hit him harder so that he would remember well that you can't judge like that.

- I understand that he gave you a red card for talking. What did you say to him and what did he say back?

- At first, he showed me a yellow after I told him: "Come on, be a little more careful!". And the second time I was 20 metres away from him, I just commented on his actions: "How long can you whistle?". The referee was just looking for a moment to send me off. After the red card, I just lost my nerve.

- What did Golovko say to you after the match?

- Borisovich did not comment on this moment, we only analysed the game.

- Didn't you talk to the referee after the match?

- I wanted to talk to him, but they were taking him out under guard after such a game, and I only managed to tell him that he was a thief! Let this match and his actions be on his conscience.

- Are you already called Zidane in the team?

- I'm still far from Zidane, he knocked me out, and I only touched him a little.

- Has the club fined you?

- There hasn't been a club meeting yet. I think they should definitely fine me! I would never have allowed myself to do that if I was younger. And so, I treat every game as if it were my last, and I feel very serious and emotional about everything.

- And the last question. Aren't you afraid that because of this act you could get a long disqualification, which could end your career?

- I'm not afraid, and I hope that the disqualification will be fair, given that I didn't use my hands. We'll have to wait and see.

Andriy Piskun