Leonid Buryak: "Today Dynamo is a truly playing team!"

Leonid Buryak, former coach of Dynamo Kyiv and the Ukrainian national team, shared his impressions of his former team's match against Salzburg Austria.

- I really liked both matches against Salzburg played by Dynamo Kyiv. But there is a saying: technique is powerless against football happiness... The main thing is that Dynamo is a completely different team today compared to last season. It's nice to see them play meaningfully and move very well, that is, their conditions are normal. Of course, it's hard to win back a two-goal lead.

- After the match, there was a lot of talk about Yarmolenko's performance and the coach's decision to replace Andriy...

- I have said before that it would be nice for Dynamo to have a Yarmolenko in each line. He is not just a master, but someone who can calm the guys down in a difficult situation, because they are shaking with excitement. However, there are hopes that Dynamo's youth will improve over the course of the season. "Dynamo is currently a purely Ukrainian team in terms of its composition. I watched with pleasure the performance of Kyiv in this Champions League qualifier. I would like to note that Vanat was the best player of the match in Austria.

- Did Dynamo lack a quick goal in the second leg?

- Yes, if the ball had gone into the Salzburg net after the initial attack by Kyiv, the game would have been different. Dynamo had a lot of scoring chances, but not enough shots on goal. We definitely need to work on this. It's not a reproach... Dynamo has always had players who can hit a shot from a distance.

We need to move on. By the way, I disagree with those who say that we shouldn't play in the Champions League with such a squad at all... And then how to evaluate victories over such a difficult opponent as Partizan or a team of such a level as Rangers? It's all very difficult! Let everyone now appreciate the class of Salzburg, a project in which its owners are making serious investments and where talented newcomers are happy to join. So we don't need to panic at all!

- What can you say about young Mykhailo's performance?

- I always like his game. However, he still does not have time to do everything he wants during the match. This comes with time, and of course - with the desire to work and progress. I would like to note that Kostiuk is very productive in the Dynamo U-19 team. "Dynamo has the opportunity to rely on its young talents. It should be borne in mind that many of those invited from abroad to strengthen the squad refused to join Dynamo... Because of the war, of course.

- What can Dynamo expect in the Europa League of the 2024/2025 season?

- The White and Blues have gone far in the current European season. Let's wait for the results of the draw, after which the Dynamo coaching staff will plan a strategy. It is also important to demonstrate quality results in the Ukrainian championship, that is, to rotate. The Europa League tournament will be interesting - in a new format. This is a big UEFA project - eight matches, and an opportunity to prove yourself to the fullest. However, I repeat, a lot will depend on the draw, because in the Champions League qualifiers, Dynamo's performance was largely influenced by the opponents who were on our way. No one thought that we would have to overcome the opposition of three very difficult rivals. The main thing is that we now have a Dynamo that has a reliable backbone, and it is a truly playing team!

Oleg Semenchenko