Former defender of Kyiv Dynamo Anatoly Bessmertny shared his expectations for the match of the “white-blues” in the Europa League against Real Sociedad.
— Dynamo will have a tough opponent on Thursday — Real Sociedad, — he says. — I hope our team wins. Despite the match against Czech Viktoria, where the Kyiv team didn’t really impress, they performed well in other games. In particular, they played well in the match against Lazio. It's just that they haven't managed to win. So I hope that Dynamo plays better. God willing — they will win.
— What do you think is the reason for the unsuccessful performances of the Dynamo players in the main round of the Europa League — lack of experience in the defense line or bad luck?
— Perhaps there is not enough international experience. The level of championships varies, and the opponents in European tournaments are formidable. Our guys need to play bravely and grow up. In general, Dynamo has potential, and the club has good football players. I repeat, in individual matches they looked quite good. It's just that the results weren't as one would hope when the Dynamo players conceded unnecessary goals. But anyway, they need to gain experience in European cups. This is a good school for them.
— Considering that Dynamo's tournament affairs in the main stage of the Europa League have not gone well, is there any sense in fielding those who don't often play or young reserves in this tournament?
— I don't think that's advisable. I believe that for Ukraine's ranking in the UEFA coefficient table, points need to be earned, and the club's ranking should also be taken into account. This is a necessary tournament for football players, as after playing in European cups, they become stronger and understand where European football is headed and how to act accordingly. Football becomes different: it accelerates, and players find themselves under time pressure during the match — meaning they need to work quickly with the ball and make instant decisions.
Everything needs to be done faster — and then our players will meet the demands of modern football. Matches like in the Europa League are a stage they must go through. Victories will come, and I am convinced of that. There is no other option! The future belongs to the youth, and the current Dynamo is one of the youngest teams.
Andrei Pisarenko