Yuriy Bereza: "To be honest, I thought about giving up football altogether because of Jovicevic"

Yurii Bereza, the honorary president of Dnipro-1, once again mentioned Igor Jovicevic's departure from the team in an interview with Dnipryanyn.

- Of course, I had a conversation and hopes for Jovicevic's coaching staff. When I talked to him about Shakhtar's interest, Igor and his coaching staff said that they had heard about it for the first time. At the beginning of the war, I was personally involved in their evacuation abroad and I understand how scared they were, but they eventually calmed down. We were in constant contact and when I received the information that Jovicevic had left the team with his entire coaching staff and a number of players who came with him, we literally found ourselves facing a broken trough before the start of the season, I was very disappointed by this fact. Yes, of course, we still have the backbone of the team he created, I emphasise once again that the foundation of the team that won silver last season was created by Jovetic and his football genius.

If he had gone to a foreign club, I would have understood it, the UEFA rule was in place and it would have been right, but I think Jovetic was taken by the Shakhtar manager to prevent us from becoming champions. If compensation had been paid to Dnipro-1, this could have been resolved, we are human beings too, it is clear that Shakhtar's capabilities are a little different, but to be honest, at that time Igor Jovicevic in our team could have competed with Shakhtar. I absolutely believe in it.

When the time came to pay off, the lawyers of SC Dnipro-1 started looking for options to get compensation from Shakhtar, but no one received any compensation. I was so shocked then that, to be honest, I thought about giving up football altogether. It was a kick in the face for me personally, because Igor Jovicevic and I had a good personal relationship. Maybe one day I'll burn out and he'll let me go, but I don't understand his actions. I think he lost in the sense that he could have become an icon at Dnipro-1, but chose a different path,"Tribunaquoted Bereza as saying.