Famous Ukrainian coach Yuriy Virt shared his thoughts on Dynamo’s and Shakhtar’s victories in yesterday’s Conference League matches.
Yuriy Virt
«Ukrainian clubs were considered favorites, so in such cases, it’s important not to underestimate opponents. Especially in the international arena, such complacency often gets punished. It’s hard to say that our representatives played seamlessly yesterday; they had some ups and downs at the start, but without much effort, they proved who was the boss on the football pitch. Finally, Dynamo broke through; I don’t even remember the last time they scored five goals in one half. Talk about catching the momentum.
Chances of making it to the playoffs? The „Miners“ should finish in the top eight, which will give them an advantage in the next round. Dynamo needs to secure a spot in the top 24 and continue fighting for the prestigious prize. Still, it’s too early to sing praises to our teams, as the recent opponents were clearly weaker. We’ll see how things turn out in the next round, where Dynamo must definitely get the upper hand over „Omonia“. Hence, onward.
I don’t think it’s necessary to compare the Clasico with European competitions. Recent derbies have confirmed that the Clasico has its own rules, participants don’t need to be motivated; they are eager to push their limits. This can explain the tension and fierce competition.
Regarding the Conference League matches, our representatives' opponents were clearly weaker, and they had an easy ride. Although the ease in the actions of Donetsk and Kyiv cannot but please. After all, the leaders of these teams are included in the squad of the Ukrainian national team, which will play crucial qualifying matches for the 2026 World Cup in mid-November. Now the main thing is to avoid injuries,» said Virt.
