Leonid Buriak, former coach of Dynamo Kyiv and the Ukrainian national team, shared his impressions of his former team's first match against Partizan Belgrade (6:2) in the 2nd qualifying round of the Champions League, which took place yesterday in Lublin.
- "I want to congratulate everyone on the victory, the score is significant, but in the debut of the match Dynamo had noticeable excitement," said Leonid Buryak. "This excitement led to Karavaev's mistake. You need to control yourself in your penalty area.
In general, I would note that compared to last year, these are two different Dynamo teams. But now we need to forget this score and seriously prepare for the return match. "Partizan has always been a home team that often failed away from home. However, the guests have always had a hard time in Belgrade, so they can't relax in any way.
- The beginning of the game was nervous, with numerous fouls on the part of Partizan players, who, it seemed, deliberately wanted to provoke Dynamo...
- It was just Dynamo's first official match of the new season. It took some time to warm up. Only in the middle of the first half did the Kyiv team start to get a game going. It's okay, we can only congratulate our players for enduring it all, for rallying from 0-1 down and leveling the score. Now it's important to use this game to reach a higher level.
- Were you surprised by the starting lineup, for example, by Pikhalenko's absence?
- I did not guess only one player in the "start" - Karavaev. The appearance of the other ten players could have been predicted. Of course, the coach sees who is in what condition, Shovkovsky has a large cage of players - he has a choice. Later, more guys will come... It so happened that it was Karavaev who made a mistake in the debut of the match. But, again, the coach controls everything and reacts accordingly. Now we must take into account that there was a different game in Belgrade.
- How can you assess Dynamo's physical condition?
- The conditions of the White and Blues are normal. I already said at the beginning of the conversation that compared to the start of last year's European Cup season, this is a different Dynamo, which is different for the better. Of course, this is not yet one hundred percent readiness, but I am sure the team will quickly gain full momentum.
- Did the national teams that played at the Euros back in June drop out of the game?
- This is normal physiology. It was not a problem for the young Dynamo players to adjust from one stage to another. 10 days of rest was enough for them. Now it is an axiom - there are conditions, there is football. That's all. All Dynamo players have shown that they are fine.
- What can we expect from the second match with Partizan?
- All Balkan teams change for the better at home, on their own field. This has always been the case. It's very good for Dynamo that Partizan will have to play without spectators, and that we have created a solid handicap on our home field. I emphasize again: "Dynamo needs to reach a higher level. Of course, such a victory is a positive thing, and it gives great emotions that are so necessary for all of us and our country!
Oleg Semenchenko