There seems to be no end to the surprising metamorphosis of the two Kyiv matches between Chornomorets Odessa and Shakhtar Donetsk.
First of all, a brief background. By chance and the calendar of the Ukrainian championship, the above-mentioned teams had to play two matches in a row: first on 1 May in Odessa (postponed match of the 12th round), and then on 5 May in Lviv (calendar match of the 27th round), where this season, with the exception of one case, in the 4th round, Shakhtar host their opponents. By the way, Chernomorets head coach Roman Grigorchuk made it clear (his quote is below) that initially his team's away game with the Donetsk side was planned to be played in Lviv.
And then comes the news that both the match Chornomorets vs Shakhtar and the match Shakhtar vs Chornomorets will be held in Kyiv at the Left Bank stadium.
According to unofficial information, the reason for these two postponements was the fact that Shakhtar's legionnaires, due to their personal fear, categorically refused to go to Odessa, which has recently been under frequent enemy fire. After that, according to the same sources, the Donetsk club entered into negotiations with Chornomorets, which resulted in the decision to play both matches in Kyiv. Is it true? And if it is true, whether there is a financial component in this situation or not is for the relevant football authorities to sort out. If, of course, they will want to sort it out, given who is in the roles in this incredible blockbuster in terms of intrigue.
Then followed the official (I emphasise - official!) comments of the representatives of Chornomorets, who the main argument of the decision called the simplification of logistics (for the Odessa club). They said that it is much easier to go to Kyiv once than to go to Lviv once. I bring these comments without notes.
Roman Grigorchuk, head coach of Chornomorets: "Now it is a very difficult schedule of travelling. The train arrives in Lviv at six in the morning. There used to be a different schedule. And now, who did not fall asleep on the train in the evening - at 5 am we are already up, getting ready to leave. It is favourable for us not to have a heavy journey to Odessa and then to Lviv.
Anatoliy Misyura, general director of Chornomorets Odessa: "Personally, I am interested in the team and the fact that it was comfortable. So our position is exactly to deprive Chornomorets of the unpleasant prospect of travelling in train cars for 50-60, or even 70 hours for away matches back and forth, back and forth. We decided that it would be most comfortable for us to play twice in a row in Kyiv".
What conclusion is inevitably drawn from these formulations? Absolutely right, the conclusion is that the main advantage of these postponements for Chornomorets is that the team comes to Kyiv once and plays both matches there. True, it loses a match at its own stadium. But, apparently, the move from Odessa to Lviv is so unbearable that it does not outweigh even the home field factor.
And here comes the day of the first match. On 1 May, Chornomorets "hosted" Shakhtar in Kyiv. However, here is what the Sailors' midfielder Artur Avagimyan said after this meeting.
"Now we will go to Odessa. Our managers have made such a decision. We will prepare at home, at our base. On Saturday we will return to the Ukrainian capital," SportArena quoted Avagimyan as saying. Words, for which he may well get a big reprimand now: you can't "scorch the office" so dashingly.
As a result, "simplification of logistics" in the understanding of Chornomorets' representatives means replacing one trip from Odessa to Lviv with two (in a row and within five days!) to Kyiv.
Perhaps there will be those who will exclaim: "Wait a minute, but Chernomorets had a trip to Minai before the match with Shakhtar. From there to Kyiv will surely be easier than to Odessa". Yes, there was such a trip. But, as I know for sure, after the match with Minai, Chornomorets went not to Kyiv, but to Odessa. Through Lviv, by the way.
So I will repeat what exactly happened: instead of one trip Odessa - Lviv, Chornomorets organised two trips in a row (and within five days) Odessa - Kyiv. And called it ... simplification of logistics.
That's the way it is. Without any conclusions and speculations. Because comments in this situation are superfluous, everything is so clear and obvious. So I suggest that fans make all the conclusions themselves. Including about who some clubs in the UPL hold you for.
Alexander POPOV
P.S. There is no sense to use as an analogy the broken record that Minai played their home match with Dynamo in Kyiv. In that situation, the logistics of the Transcarpathian club was really simplified, because four days before that Minai had a game with Obolon in Kyiv, after which they stayed in the capital.
