Lucescu urging Shakhtar focus

FC Shakhtar Donetsk coach Mircea Lucescu hopes his side's Ukrainian title win is not tarnished by a failure to reach the UEFA Champions League group stage.

Dinamo test
Premier League winners for three of the past four seasons, Shakhtar's latest attempt to qualify for the competition proper begins against an NK Dinamo Zagreb outfit who have beaten Linfield FC and NK Domžale en route to the third qualifying round. With just a two-legged tie separating his side from the group stage, Lucescu is demanding total concentration from a squad who have made a faltering start to the domestic season. "The beginning of the competition demands maximum focus and attention," said the 63-year-old Romanian. "There is no meaning to winning the national title if you do not qualify for the Champions League group stage. I hope my players think the same and will do their best to achieve a positive result."

'Winning mentality'
Dinamo are even more dominant in domestic competition having been crowned Croatian champions for the last three campaigns, and Lucescu is wary. "Our opponents regularly win titles in Croatian football," added Lucescu. "It means Dinamo have a winning mentality – they know how to win." The same cannot be said of Shakhtar so far this season, though. The Coal Miners needed penalties to overcome old adversaries FC Dynamo Kyiv in the Ukrainian Super Cup final and have collected just one win from their opening four matches, leaving them seven points behind early leaders and city rivals FC Metalurh Donetsk.

No fear
Lucescu's only fitness concern surrounds striker Yevgen Seleznov who was injured in Saturday's goalless draw with FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk, while Dinamo boss Branko Ivanković will replace Tomislav Butina with 20-year-old second-choice goalkeeper Ivan Kelava due to a stomach injury. In contrast to their hosts, Dinamo have begun the Prva Liga season with three wins from as many matches and lead the table by two points, a start which Ivanković says has instilled his side with confidence. "I am not fearful of defeat because I trust my players," said the coach, who will start with 21-year-old forward Josip Tadić in place of Boško Balaban as part of a two-man front line.

'Good start'
"We have had a good start to this season and we also have a lot of enthusiasm, fanaticism and collectiveness," continued Ivanković. "Our advantage is that Shakhtar have to win this match." And having emerged victorious from their previous two away trips in the competition this term, Ivanković is targeting a third in a bid to go one better than last year when Werder Bremen denied Dinamo a group stage berth. "We will make a first step in Donetsk. I have a recipe for a victory."