Ihor Kostyuk, FC Dynamo Kyiv January 18, 2026, 2:44 p.m

The head coach of Dynamo Kyiv, Ihor Kostyuk, commented on the exit of the “white and blue” from the winter vacation, and also talked about the preparation of the Kyiv team for the second half of the season.

“The main thing today is that we tested in the morning and got pretty good results. With that in mind, we understand how we need to build the work so as not to repeat it.

We see that the boys did a good job on vacation, completed the program we gave them. So we’re not going to do what was planned for the basic foundation, and now we’re already moving into the second phase of training, working on speed endurance. Running work will now be combined with special, strength work is also added.

We talk a lot with the players about what we do and why we do it. They understand this and it works to their advantage, because the team is united around one goal. Players in a good mood complete the tasks that we set before them.

Of course, in the first part of the meeting, the emphasis will be on functional readiness. With our physical training coaches, we plan work so that there is both strength work and time for recovery before matches.

The second part of the work will be more focused on tactics, there will be more control games. Although during the first part we will also play practice matches. Of course, they will be carried out against the background of fatigue, but this is a normal work process.

We need to prepare for the season, lay the foundation. The physical exercises that we plan for these meetings should help us solve the tasks that are set for the second half of the season,” the club’s press service quotes Kostyuk as saying.

After 16 rounds, Dynamo scored 26 points and is only in fourth place in the Ukrainian Premier League, nine points behind LNZ and Shakhtar.

Earlier it was reported that the Dynamo legionnaire became a teammate of Stepanenko.