Taras Mikhalik: "I'll be rooting for Dynamo, but Shakhtar won't miss theirs"

The 28th round of the Ukrainian league will be focused on the clash between leader Shakhtar and its closest pursuer Dynamo. Taras Mykhalyk, a former player of the Ukrainian national team and Dynamo Kyiv, shared his expectations of tomorrow's clash between the giants of Ukrainian football:

- Of course, I will be rooting for Dynamo, where I won the most titles in my football career. But I think that Shakhtar will be able to maintain their comfortable lead over Dynamo and become champions again.

- You once took part in a number of matches between Dynamo and Shakhtar in various tournaments. Which one do you remember the most?

- Of course, the 2007 Super Cup, which was traditionally hosted by Odesa. Dynamo fielded an experimental team, but this did not prevent us from winning the penalty shootout over Mircea Lucescu's men. And the main time ended in a productive draw - 2:2, and I managed to make a "double".

- How did these confrontations between the giants differ during your performances?

- Back then, Dynamo won more often, and everything else remained the same: the maximum commitment of the participants, the fight literally on every piece of the field.

- Have you noticed anything similar in the current Dynamo and Shakhtar?

- First of all, the fact that the teams have a lot of young players who are gradually taking the lead. Although, in my opinion, the Miners have a more balanced squad, thanks to a large group of legionnaires.

- Can the veterans still have their say tomorrow?

- Andrii Yarmolenko, Yaroslav Rakitskyi, Taras Stepanenko continue to be visible. But I think that the youngsters will make a splash at Arena Lviv.

- Has Dynamo's game changed under Oleksandr Shovkovskyi's leadership?

- The Kyiv team has become more relaxed, with an emphasis on attack. I think the microclimate in the team has also improved. As for more qualitative changes in Kyiv's game, the new manager still needs time to do that.

- Then, finally, who do you favour in tomorrow's match?

- I am inclined to believe that everything will end with the signing of a peace agreement.

Andriy Pysarenko