The head coach of Kharkiv Mladen Bartulovich finds himself in a situation where his results at the start of the new season could directly impact his future with the team.
According to Kamon, Play!, in the 2026/27 season, the Croatian specialist will be under much closer scrutiny. While Bartulovich previously had almost complete freedom to build the team and prepare for the new season, he is now expected to deliver specific sporting results.
Particular attention is focused on the upcoming stretch of the championship, which could be decisive for the coach. Kharkiv faces matches against Shakhtar, Zorya, Obolon, Krivbass, and Bukovyna, and it is in these games that the team needs to earn points to confirm its ambitions.
Bartulovich is said to be aiming for 15 points in seven matches. If the team achieves this point total, there are unlikely to be serious questions for the coach, but failure to meet this target could lead the management to consider a change in leadership.
In the first two rounds of the 2026/27 UPL, Kharkiv secured a victory over Veres (1:0) and suffered a defeat against Polissya (1:3). The next match will be played on August 16 against Shakhtar.
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