Former Dynamo Kyiv forward Maksym Shatskikh shared his impressions of his former team's 6-2, 3-0 win over Partizan Belgrade in the 2nd qualifying round of the Champions League.
- Maksym, did you expect Dynamo to win so confidently?
- I was more surprised not by Dynamo, but by Partizan. I thought that I would see some aggression from the Serbs, a desire to win, to take revenge. Perhaps I assumed that they would play all-in, because before the game they actually had nothing to lose, having a minus-four-goal lead, but...
Of course, it was hard and unusual for Partizan to play in empty stands without their crazy fans, but that's not the point.
- In my opinion, Oleksandr Shovkovskyi's team completely outplayed Partizan not only in terms of score but also in terms of play.
- It is true. That's because they chose the right tactics for the game, namely, they left the opponent virtually without the ball and from the first minute of the game began to bend their line and control the course of the game. I would even say that they started playing a square game. We dealt with the opponent confidently, demonstrated a powerful and at the same time calm game. Everything is clear (Laughs).
Dynamo ran out on the attack very well and, in the end, it was the quick transitions from defense to attack that bore fruit in the form of three goals, and we could have scored more.
As for Partizan, I didn't see any meaningful football at all. Among the Serbs, I can only single out Saldanha. That's it. He was the only one who tried to create something up front and once even hit the Dynamo goal post.
- For the return match, Shovkovskyi released almost the same lineup as in the first game. There were three changes: Pikhalenok instead of Brazhko, because Volodymyr is "hanging" on the card, apparently because of this, Dubinchak instead of Vivcharenko, and Kabaev was replaced in the starting lineup by Voloshyn. That is, the White and Blues manager decided not to resort to rotation. Was it the right decision?
- Let's go through it in order. Brazko's absence, I think, has nothing to do with his yellow and the likelihood of getting a second and being disqualified. Most likely, there was a bet on controlling the ball, and for this it was much better to rely on the Shaparenko-Pikhalenok combination, on two technical performers. Still, Brazhko is more of a destroyer than a creative player.
As for Dubinchak's appearance on the field from the first minutes instead of Vivcharenko, this is a pure rotation. Back when Lucescu coached Dynamo, these guys played in turns. Vladyslav and Kostyantyn are about the same in terms of class and playing qualities.
- The worst episode of the game was Maksym Dyachuk's injury. His scream of pain could be heard even during the broadcast. Didn't it seem to you that Saldanha deliberately got under the Ukrainian's skin?
- No, I didn't. It was a game moment. It's just that Dyachuk almost got on top of Saldanha. He wanted to win the episode, the fight on the second floor. Dyachuk is a man in his own right, and if necessary, he will go head first into a tackle. He is a real fighter.
Most likely, Maksym broke his collarbone. He was unable to regroup during the fall. You could see from his face that he was in a lot of pain. In a game like this, where almost everything was decided, it's very unpleasant to get such an injury.
Dyachuk's injury is a real problem for Shovkovsky. Because who will replace him? Bilovar came out, but, with all due respect, it will be very difficult for Christian Maxim to replace him properly.
- There is also a young Taras Mykhavko, but I agree with you that Dynamo again has problems with quality defenders... But let's not talk about sad things. Who would you call the best player in Dynamo's return game with Partizan?
- A very even and confident game from every Dynamo player, that's the truth. That's why I don't see any point in singling anyone out personally. Everyone did well. They played well as a team, fulfilled the setup for the game. There were no global deficiencies, few mistakes, fortunately.
- After the first game, despite the 6-2 defeat, I had a chance to read an interview with Jozsef Szabo in one of the national publications, where he criticized Vanat. He said he was not a forward of Dynamo's caliber. Mediocre, to put it mildly. In Belgrade, Vladyslav earned a penalty and scored a goal.
- It depends on what Jožef Jožefović meant by the words "team level". Vanat has been at Dynamo for several years, and he regularly scores in the UPL. Of course, every coach wants to have a powerful, strong and fast striker in the team who is equally good on the "second floor" and down low, who hits equally hard with both feet. A forward who clearly operates at the forefront of the attack and closes all the passes from the flanks, with good individual technique. It's a kind of ideal, and Vanat... Vladyslav is trying. Again, at the UPL level, he scores his goals and has chances in almost every game. We'll see how he plays in this championship.
I was recently asked whether Vanat has reached the level of European clubs, not some second-rate championships, but the top five championships of the Old World. Then I said I didn't know. But, frankly speaking, Vanat has not yet grown up to play in a good European club from the Premier League, Serie A, La Liga or the Bundesliga. It will be difficult for him to develop at that level.
- But Vanat was the top scorer in the UPL last season. Is it the level of our championship that is so low now or is Vladyslav not completely "wooden"?
- Vanat has all the makings to grow into a quality forward. He has good speed, thinking, and he offers himself to his teammates correctly during the game.
However, he lacks physicality and muscles. Now he takes the rest with his good qualities. We will see what will happen next. Now, again, he is not ready to play in Europe, if we talk about the top championships, but everything can change in a season or two.
- In the return match against Partizan, Pikhalonok started from the start. Why did he start the match from the first minutes, I've heard your point of view, but what do you think about Oleksandr in general? Can he become one of Dynamo's new leaders?
- Pikhalenok is a real reinforcement for Dynamo. He is a very intelligent and technical player, I remember him when he was young, when he played for Mariupol.
Pikhalonok needs to prove himself over a long distance. So far, based on the results of two games, it is too early to assess his performance for Dynamo. I think we can talk about this more thoroughly after the first round in the UPL, when there will be a winter offseason.
- Rangers are ahead. Anyone who knows a little bit about football realizes that this team is head and shoulders above Partizan in terms of the level of play. Do you have faith that Dynamo will be able to get past the Scots?
- Why not? Before such games as in the qualifiers, cup matches, let's just say that the chances are almost always equal: 50 to 50. Of course, Rangers are stronger than Partizan. And their history is much more glorious, but not better than Dynamo's.
I watched a few Rangers games and I want to say that they no longer practice purely British football with long balls and a reliance on power play. They know how to play not only from a position of strength, i.e. athleticism, constant struggle.
It will be especially difficult in Glasgow. There's a big stadium, thousands of fans, but I don't see Rangers as a team that can't be beaten by the sum of two games.
Viktor Glukhenkyi