Former forward of Donetsk “Shakhtar” Viktor Grachev assessed the prospects of his former club’s confrontation with Finnish “Ilves” in the 1st qualifying round of the Europa League.
Viktor Grachev. Photo — D. Rudenko“We don’t know much about opponents from this country compared to teams from top leagues. However, Finnish football is currently on the rise, somewhat similar to Norwegian or Swedish football. Currently, ‘Ilves’ is in third place in its league, having conceded the fewest goals.
Nevertheless, the miners have a goal – to advance to the group stage of the Europa League. In this pairing, ‘Shakhtar’ is definitely the favorite. The class of its players is higher. The only thing that worries me a bit is the change of head coach. The new coach needs time for the team to accept all of Arda Turan’s requirements. Therefore, I give a 80 percent chance for Donetsk’s victory in this confrontation, not 100%,” — said Grachev.
