Lucescu Is Highly Likely to Become Dynamo Kyiv's New Coach

Although he worked with Shakhtar for many years.

On the Facebook page “Druzi Dynamo” information appeared today that the likely new coach of Dynamo is Mircea Lucescu.

Source: TK Media confirms that Lucescu’s candidacy is indeed being considered by Dynamo’s management. Moreover, the likelihood of the former Shakhtar coach being appointed to the Kyiv club’s post is considered very high.

The need to appoint a new head coach for Dynamo is linked to the dismissal of Oleksiy Mykhailychenko. The former coach of the Kyivans left his post the day after the 0:2 defeat to Kolos, which was the team’s last match of the season.

“Lucescu worked as head coach of Dynamo’s principal rival, Shakhtar, for 12 years. From 2004 to 2016 he won the Ukrainian championship eight times and also won the UEFA Cup in the 2008/09 season.

After leaving Shakhtar, the 74-year-old Romanian coach worked with Russia’s Zenit, as well as with the Turkish national team. However, he failed to achieve notable success with these teams.

In early July TK Media reported that Dynamo president Ihor Surkis was busy searching for a foreign specialist to replace Mykhailychenko. At that time, among the candidates was former Kyiv coach Yuriy Semin, who had led the Kyivans twice before.

Dynamo finished the season in second place in the Ukrainian championship, which earned it a place in the Champions League qualifiers. It also won the Ukrainian Cup final, beating Vorskla on penalties, but failed to advance from its group in the Europa League.