Former Dynamo Kyiv striker Viktor Leonenko shared what he expects from today’s matches of Ukrainian clubs in the 2nd round of the main stage of the Conference League: «Samsunspor» — «Dynamo», «Shakhtar» — «Legia».
Viktor Leonenko— What do you expect from the «Shakhtar» match against «Legia»?
— They barely defeated Aberdeen, but the way «Shakhtar» plays in the championship doesn’t add optimism. I cannot judge «Legia» because, like all our fans, I do not watch the Polish championship. I can only wish «Shakhtar» good luck and victory so that they can at least earn some points in the coefficient table and not miss out on the Champions League on the tenth try.
— «Legia» is ninth in the Ekstraklasa. Coach Edward Jordanescu wanted to resign, but the club’s management did not accept it. Will such disputes in the club help «Shakhtar»?
— You journalists are strange people, just like many experts, coaches, and presidents. You can be 15th in the championship and win the cup. Championships and cups are completely different tournaments. You can prepare or win by chance in one or two games. Therefore, you cannot relax and underestimate anyone in European competitions.
— Moving on to «Dynamo». What do you expect from the match with «Samsunspor»? The Turks are slight favorites according to bookmakers.
— When the Turks play at home and are only slight favorites with the bookmakers, it means that «Dynamo» is not weaker. «Dynamo» started to create some moments against «Zorya», which is already good. But there was also a downside — both «Zorya» and «Dynamo» were competing with each other to see who would lose the ball more. The Kyiv team conceded a goal at the end of the match, and the question immediately arises for Shovkovsky: did he make the substitutions correctly?
Also, let Shovkovsky count how many goals Popov «brought in». Plus, he gets injured too often, even though he’s a tough guy.
— Do you prefer Bilovar more?
— It doesn’t matter to me. Shovkovsky is not his own enemy; he puts in the one who is better prepared.
— After Vanat left, Dynamo has three forwards: Guerrero, the young Ponomarenko, and newcomer Blenutze. How do you evaluate them?
— I call Blenutze a «politician» because of his scandals. I’ll say simply about the Romanian. Ihor Mykhailovych makes himself out to be an amateur because he bought a player for two million who sits on the bench.
I don’t know, maybe Blenutze is injured, or maybe he’s studying Lenin or Karl Marx and isn’t focused on football yet.
As for Guerrero, «Dynamo» is not his team because he played well with «Zorya». With him, Kyiv also didn’t guess right. And there’s nothing to say about Ponomarenko; he doesn’t play.
— If the matches of our teams in European competitions started at the same time, which game would you watch, «Samsunspor» — «Dynamo» or «Shakhtar» — «Legia»?
— Of course, the «Dynamo» match, because I played there, but I will support both our teams.
— Give a prediction for the matches?
— You can play with Poles and Turks. If you don’t show anything in the Conference League, then what’s the point of going to European competitions at all? I want «Shakhtar» and «Dynamo» to win with a score of 1:0, but I don’t know if they’ll manage it or not. I’m not Vanga or Nostradamus to predict. First of all, I want our teams to play quality football and create moments, then victories will come.
Andriy Piskun
