Ruslan Rotan faces a tough squad rotation dilemma as his "Polissya" Zhytomyr prepares to host "LNZ" Cherkasy this Sunday in Ukrainian Premier League's third matchday, just days before their crucial European fixture against "Fiorentina".
"We understand the challenge of balancing domestic and European competitions, but we're taking one game at a time," could be Rotan's approach as he prepares for his 80th match as a UPL head coach.
The Zhytomyr "wolves" enter this clash after suffering a home defeat to "Kolos" Kovalivka (0:1) last weekend, extending their winless home streak to five consecutive league matches. Their European adventures have clearly affected domestic performance, with Rotan likely to rest key players ahead of their Conference League playoff against Italian side "Fiorentina".
Vitaliy Ponomarov's "LNZ" arrives with their own set of challenges. The Cherkasy side has managed to score just one goal in their opening two matches despite creating numerous chances in draws against "Zorya" (0:0) and a narrow win over "Epicenter" (1:0). Their finishing problems seem to have followed Ponomarov from his previous stint at "Rukh" Lviv.
Interestingly, "LNZ" hasn't won an away match in six consecutive attempts (four draws, two losses) and will aim to break this pattern at the Central Stadium in Zhytomyr.
The head-to-head record favors the home side significantly. In six previous encounters, "Polissya" has won four times, with one draw and just one victory for "LNZ". Their most recent meetings saw "Polissya" secure 2:1 victories twice in 2023 and a 1:0 win in 2025, while "LNZ's" sole triumph came in 2024 (1:0).
Betting odds reflect the situation despite "Polissya's" European commitments, with bookmakers favoring the home side at 2.51, while "LNZ" is priced at 3.40 and a draw at 2.90.
Worth noting that goalkeeper Yevhen Volynets could record his 50th clean sheet in the Ukrainian Premier League if "Polissya" manages to keep "LNZ" at bay.
Kickoff is scheduled for 18:00 local time this Sunday at the Central Stadium in Zhytomyr. Will Rotan's rotation gamble pay off, or will the fresher "LNZ" squad capitalize on their opponent's European distractions?
