Ukrainian coach Peter Kushlyk shared his expectations from today’s matches of Kyiv’s Dynamo and Donetsk’s Shakhtar in the main stage of the Conference League. Let us remind you, the «blue and white» will play against Bosnia’s Zrinjski, and the «miners» — against Iceland’s Breidablik.
— I watched the Champions League matches yesterday — and it was very painful for our football. Our two super clubs, Dynamo and Shakhtar, have slipped in the current European season to the Conference League, the third-highest ranking tournament. It’s heartbreaking that in the UEFA coefficient table, our results worsen every year. Meanwhile, teams from the post-Soviet space are surprising. Judge for yourself: in the Champions League, Azerbaijan’s Qarabag played on equal terms with Chelsea — 2:2, and Kazakhstan’s Kairat put up significant resistance away against the no less legendary Milan’s Inter, losing by the minimal score of 1:2. Unfortunately, in this year’s competition, a Ukrainian fan can only dream of such a performance!
Our grandees in Europe have lost to everyone! Dynamo — to Cypriots, Israelis, a mid-tier Turkish team, and Shakhtar — to Panathinaikos, Servette, and Legia. When will we see convincing victories over opponents we are supposed to beat? It’s very disappointing that our teams have gradually turned into punching bags on the European stage. We should be the ones delivering the blows, not just showing up!
— What do you expect from today’s matches of Dynamo and Shakhtar in the Conference League?
— You know, after all those «minus» surprises, I’m not even daring to make predictions. How many times have I predicted victories for Dynamo or the «miners,» and it turned out the other way around! So, I now approach the role of prophet with great caution. However, I will say this: it’s time for our grandees to prove they are worth something on the European stage.
Moreover, in today’s matches, Dynamo and Shakhtar will play against such opponents that not every fan knows — Zrinjski and Breidablik. I have great respect for these Bosnian and Icelandic teams, but if they had drawn these matches against our clubs 30−40 years ago, the score could have been, if not double digits, certainly decisive and overwhelming. Now everyone has learned to play football, and Zrinjski and Breidablik are no exceptions. I hope both of our teams will give their all in the game, delighting fans with their persistence and bravery in organizing the game in attack. They must enter the field imagining they are playing not against Zrinjski or Breidablik, but against Manchester United or Barcelona — and set their minds accordingly. And in matches against teams whose names we’re almost hearing for the first time, Dynamo and Shakhtar players must prove they are worth something.
Vyacheslav Kulchytsky