Lucescu refused to come to Russia for a football match of legends organized by the team of traitor Tymoshchuk

Former coach of Donetsk "Shakhtar" and Kyiv "Dynamo" Mircea Lucescu rejected the invitation to the match of legends of the Russian club "Zenit", which will take place on May 25. However, the Ukrainian traitor Anatoliy Tymoshchuk and the Portuguese Nani are planning to play for St. Petersburg, reports UNN.

Details

According to the press service of "Zenit", on May 25, 2025, the club will celebrate its centenary, in honor of which it is planned to organize a match of legends, in which former "Zenit" players are planning to take part, including Italian Domenico Criscito, Belgian Nico Lombaerts, Portuguese Danny, as well as Ukrainian Anatoliy Tymoshchuk.

The club added that the list of guests will be known later, but, according to Russian media, former Manchester United winger Sporting Portuguese Nani expressed his desire to participate in the match.

"The 38-year-old Portuguese received positive feedback about St. Petersburg, Zenit and its infrastructure from his compatriots - former team player Miguel Danny and former coach Andre Villas-Boas," Russian media reported.

Also, Andre Villas-Boas confirmed his visit to Russia.

According to Russian media, the club invited former coach of Kyiv "Dynamo" and Donetsk "Shakhtar" Mircea Lucescu, who coached "Zenit" in the 2016-2017 season, but Lucescu refused.

Also, former Zenit coach Vlastimil Petrzela did not confirm his visit to Russia. Russian media reports that Petrzela "responded warmly to the invitation and really wanted to come", but due to possible negative reactions and pressure in the Czech Republic, his trip to Russia is unlikely.

In addition, former Zenit player, Spaniard Javi Garcia, Belgian Axel Witsel, who plays for Madrid's Atletico, and Italian national team coach Luciano Spalletti refused to go to St. Petersburg. The participation of Brazilian striker Hulk, who once played for Zenit, is also in question.

Let us remind you

On March 11, 2022, the Control and Disciplinary Committee of the Ukrainian Football Association decided to deprive Tymoshchuk of a Pro-level coaching license, state awards, honorary titles, all titles of winner and silver medalist of the Ukrainian Championship, the Ukrainian Cup, the Ukrainian Super Cup, to exclude Tymoshchuk from the official register of players of the national teams of the UAF, and also to prohibit him from engaging in football activities on the territory of Ukraine for life.

After the full-scale invasion, Tymoshchuk joined the fundraising at a Russian auction for the Kursk region.

In February of this year, UAF President Andriy Shevchenko categorically stated that his former teammate in the national team, Anatoliy Tymoshchuk, can forget about his titles in Ukrainian football forever.