Oleksandr Shevkovskyi shared insights on his squad's condition ahead of "Dynamo" Kyiv's crucial Europa League playoff qualifier against "Maccabi" Tel-Aviv. The head coach addressed several key personnel situations during his pre-match comments to the club's official website.
"Before the game, Maksym (Bragaru) approached me and told me about an important event that was about to happen in his life, so we knew about it. We gave him the opportunity to be with his family," Shevkovskyi explained.
The coach warmly congratulated Bragaru on the birth of his son, expressing hope that the child would grow up in a peaceful Ukraine. Family matters sometimes take precedence, even in professional football.
Regarding other squad members, Valentyn Rubchynskyi continues rehabilitation from a complicated injury in Kyiv. His recovery shows positive signs as doctors have already removed his cast. The coaching staff hopes he'll rejoin regular training sessions when the team returns home.
Vladyslav Supriaha has meanwhile secured a loan move to "Epicenter" until the end of the season. A change of scenery might be exactly what the young striker needs to find consistent playing time.
Shevkovskyi also addressed the growing competition for starting positions, calling it a "pleasant headache" when selecting his lineup. He specifically highlighted Edu Guerrero, who finally converted a scoring opportunity in their previous match.
"I'm very happy for Edu that he finally realized his chance, although in my opinion, they 'stole' a goal from him in that match, and he could have scored more," noted the coach.
Interestingly, Shevkovskyi revealed he sensed Guerrero's breakthrough was coming based on the player's training attitude. "I felt he would succeed because it was evident from his approach to the training process. That's how it should always be," he added.
Will this revitalized squad depth give "Dynamo" the edge they need against "Maccabi" in their European campaign? The first leg will certainly provide some answers.
