Shatskikh — on why Shomurodov and Dovbyk could be bought by Bayern, Juventus or other top clubs

In an exclusive interview with Sports24.kz, Maksim Shatskikh — sporting advisor to the president of "Pakhtakor" and former player of Kazakhstan's "Astana" — spoke about Uzbekistan's striker Eldor Shomurodov, currently playing for “Roma”, and Ukrainian forward Artem Dovbyk.

— Uzbek striker Eldor Shomurodov was named “Roma”’s best player in February, while Ukrainian Artem Dovbyk was Serie A’s player of the month in March. Maybe the team should play with two center-forwards? Is that possible in modern football?
— That’s up to the coach. It’s possible to play with two, even three strikers. That’s not the issue. But in my opinion, Roma’s tactical setup is designed for one striker. That’s why Ranieri is rotating Dovbyk and Shomurodov.

— Do they have similar playing styles?
— Yes, they do. There are small differences. Dovbyk is perhaps a bit stronger physically. But in terms of quality, they’re very similar. That’s why they’re not played together — but I think it’s more due to Roma’s one-striker system. They are interchangeable players.

— There are reports that Shomurodov signed a contract with Roma on less favorable terms.
— Yes, I read that too. But Roma is not the final stop. It has its place in European football.

— They say Stefano Pioli might replace Ranieri at Roma. What’s your opinion?
— Lazio has already stalled. Roma also plays inconsistently. Mourinho was considered too, but they’re still far from the top 3 in Serie A. Maybe a change will happen. If Roma’s management wants change, that means they have ambition.

— Dovbyk is proving himself. He was La Liga’s player of the month last season, a top scorer, and now he’s Serie A’s player of the month.
— He has potential, skill, and motivation. He wants to show himself in every match. He shouldn’t think “I came to Roma, I’ll stay here.” He can aim to move to a higher-level club. Motivation is key!

— Like a move to Bayern?
— Yes, why not? They are being monitored. Both Shomurodov and Dovbyk. Their age is right. Dovbyk is a bit younger, but both are at a good age for football.

— What about Barcelona?
— Probably not Barcelona.

— Maybe Juventus?
— Yes, yes, that’s possible. Or higher-level teams in Spain — Valencia, Atlético.

— Because Ronaldo is making changes at Valencia?
— Yes, there will be big changes at Valencia. Ronaldo wants to buy the club. But most importantly, a player needs to find the right coach and team. That’s crucial. Read 'Zamin' on Telegram!