“The entire Dynamo budget is half Ronaldo’s salary”

At the pre-match press conference, Dynamo Kyiv head coach Mircea Lucescu shared his expectations for the first round match of the Champions League group stage against Juventus Turin.

– How would you rate the technical talent of Andrea Pirlo?

– I have said many times that being a player and a coach are two different things. He recently started working. Learn through games and training. But the coach is judged by the result. It has everything ahead.

Pirlo for me will always be the 15-year-old who made his debut on a tour of England. He will never be my rival. He was my player, so he will remain. He is just at the beginning of his coaching career. I wish him well.

– Now Juventus is being rebuilt. Is it an advantage for you that the team has not yet found its own game model?

– Juventus can use different schemes. They have a lot of good experienced players. In the end, they defend in a 4-4-2 formation. The most important thing is not the game scheme, but the motivation, the discipline of the players and their dedication. At this level, the coach adapts to the players. They are the problem solvers on the field.

– Ronaldo won’t play tomorrow. But they say that without Ronaldo, Juventus seems even stronger. Do you agree with this statement? Aren’t you afraid that Dynamo players will run out?

– Ronaldo is an outstanding player. Score goals. He’s selfish, but he works for the team. If he doesn’t score, he’s not Ronaldo. There is always a lot of pressure on him from the press and the fans. You must score in every game. With Ronaldo, Juventus is stronger.

This is an important game for our young players. They have to endure the pressure. Of course, there are emotions, this is normal. It is not easy for many players to grow that much in two months. I have confidence in them, I think they can overcome these difficulties and level up.

– What do you pay more attention to when preparing for Juventus?

– Juventus has a high level. Our budget is half of Ronaldo’s salary. I give the guys information about the individual qualities of the opponents so they can resist them. Tomorrow Bonucci must be watched closely at the banners. I want us to play for Juventus as well as Shakhtar did back then.

– You have a lot of experience as a coach and Pirlo has very little … Do you communicate with him?

– If true. We communicate with him from time to time. I congratulated him when he became a coach. He is my student. But neither he nor I play soccer. The teams are playing. We will see.

The “Dynamo” – “Juventus” match will take place in Kiev at the NSC “Olimpiyskiy” on Tuesday, October 20 at 19:55 Kiev time.