Darijo Srna: Roberto De Zerbi is tactically at the same level as Pep Guardiola
Shakhtar Donetsk sporting director Darijo Srna believes the club’s current manager, Roberto De Zerbi, is tactically on a par with Pep Guardiola.
De Zerbi, 42, joined the Ukrainian club in the summer following three highly-succesful years at Sassuolo, during which time his side were praised for their exciting brand of football and achieved successive eighth-placed finishes in the Italian top flight.
Shakhtar meanwhile were on the hunt for a new head coach following Luis Castro’s departure, with Hirnyky failing to win a single domestic trophy for the first time in 14 years, as well as crashing out of the Champions League group stages, and the Europa League Round of 16.
Since stepping into the hotseat, De Zerbi has already lifted the Ukrainian Super Cup at the expense of Dynamo Kyiv, becoming the first Italian to win the trophy, while his side are second in the league table and recently took a point off Inter Milan in the Champions League.
Following his strong start as Shakhtar manager, club legend and now sporting director Srna has waxed lyrical about the summer appointment, believing the Italian coach is tactically in the same league as Manchester City manager Guardiola.
“We met in Italy,” Srna told AS. “He was our first, second and third choice.
18+, UK only. Deposit and place a minimum £10 cash bet at single or accumulated odds of 1/1 or greater and we will give you 1 x £5 in free bets plus an extra 3 x £5 Free Bets the following day. Applies to first cash bet only. Free bets credited as 4 x £5 bets to use on 3x Any sport & 1x Virtuals. Cashed Out, Void or Draw No Bet wagers do not qualify for this promotion. 1 x £5 Free Bets are credited upon qualifying first bet settlement, other free bets credited by midday the day after your first bet settles. 7-day free bet expiry. Available once per customer. This offer cannot be combined with any other promotion. Full T&C’s apply.
18+ only. Use code BET30. New Players Only. Minimum stake $/€/£ 10, minimum odds1.5, stake not returned.1X wagering the winnings from the free bet. Wagering occurs from real balance first. Wagering requirement is calculated on bonus bets only, wagering starts from real funds. Free bet is valid for 7 Days from issue. Max conversion: $/€/£ 200. Excluded Skrill deposits. Withdrawal requests voids all active/pending bonuses. Full Terms Apply
18+ only. £10 min. deposit required. 1 x £10 qualifying bet required. Qualifying bet must be placed on selection with min. odds of 1.8 (4/5). 4 x £5 Free Bets will be credited once the qualifying bet has been settled. 1 x Free Bet valid for any Football Match Result market. 1 x Free Bet valid on any Football Correct Score market. 1 x Free Bet valid on any Horse Racing market. 1 x Free Bet valid on any Tennis market. Free Bets valid for 7 days once credited. T&Cs apply.
“He plays incredible football, his style is like tiki-taka and he’s got Brazilian players to do it.
“Guardiola has managed the likes of Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Barcelona, but De Zerbi is within our reach, and the ideas are the same.
“He’s young, he’s hungry, he is very ambitious. He had many offers but he chose us.
“De Zerbi is at the level of Guardiola in his style and the ideas of the game.”
