The match “miner” – “the Star” will start 26-th championship of Ukraine on football.
The offseason in Ukrainian football was a very complex – “Dnipro” and “Metalist” from-for numerous debts are unable to obtain the certificate, about the fate of the Zaporizhzhya “metallurg” became known in the middle of last season, while Dnipro and Volyn are only a few days before the start of the championship have confirmed their participation.
In the end, one of the largest countries in Europe in the elite division will play a total of 12 clubs, with three of them in connection with the armed conflict in Eastern Ukraine are forced to hold home matches on neutral fields.
Ukrainian football surely fell back to 20 years ago – “the Dynamo” and “Shakhtar” again remained without competitors, but four years ago it seemed that “Metalist” and “Dnepr” is ready to overthrow the longstanding hegemony of the two clubs. Metalist, and Dnipro last season playing in the Europa League, leaving only the stadium, indifferent leadership, and a few players who are unlikely to remain in the team, which in the most optimistic scenario will compete for a place in the top 6.
While Dynamo and Shakhtar will fight for the gold and a direct ticket to the group stage of the Champions League, the main contenders for bronze see European representatives of Ukraine Zorya, Vorskla and “Alexandria”. At the last vacant seat in the first group according to the results of traditional two-round tournament to claim the remaining seven clubs, although some are already at the start of the season are in worse position. Talking about Karpaty and Dnipro – Karpaty has officially denied the six points, a similar decision soon arrive, and the club Igor Kolomoisky.
Definitely focus on yourself will take away the intrigue of the championship – the current champion of the country capital “the Dynamo” will try for the third time in a row to defend their title. Shakhtar, for the first time since 2004, replacing the head coach, under the leadership of Paulo Fonseca expects to interrupt the questionable hegemony of Kiev, who last season suffered two devastating defeats from their only competitor. The match showed that both teams are in equal position. The new format of the championship will add special notes to the football confrontation between Kiev and Donetsk.
The calendar of the Ukrainian Premier League season 2016-2017
