Tuesday, March 29 will see the clarification of relationships among participants in the relegation group, while on April 5 — the top eight teams will be locked in for a promotion battle.

It is important to note that during the long winter break, no one dropped off. However, there were problematic teams. Primarily, this refers to FSK "Mariupol", which was only at the preparatory stage when it received support from amateur FC "Phoenix" from Lviv region. The Galicians not only liquidated old debts of the city dwellers regarding salaries but also provided financial support until the end of the season.

However, only Andriy Bogdanov, Yegor Bulgakov, and Anton Baydal remain in the team from last year's roster; the rest are newcomers — free agents, among whom there are experienced players who have played in the first league. This includes Artem Danilyuk, Vitaliy Zhupanskyi, Dmytro Makhnev, Serhii Mashtalir, Vadym Chervak, Serhii Petik, and others.

The new head coach of "Phoenix-Mariupol" is Maxim Feshchuk, a former striker, while Vladimir Zhuravchak will assist him; he was once the coach of "Karpaty."

In "Kremen," after the end of the first half of the season, all players were given free agent status to enable them to find employment in richer clubs. However, this did not work for everyone: out of 20 registered players this week, 14 previously played for Kremenchuk. Only according to their contracts will they be paid from March onwards. The club's management has set a difficult task for the team — to stay in the first league.

According to experts, intense competition is expected among the outsiders, most of whom have made efforts to strengthen themselves with qualified players. In "Podillya," Andriy Kukharuk will continue his career, known for playing for "Ruh" and "Veres," while in Ternopil's "Niva," they are counting on Marcin Misik and Denis Rezepov from "Ingulets."

As for the participants of the champion group, they are only finishing their preparation for new challenges. The leaders, "Epizentrum" and "Agrobusiness," decided to play their last friendly match against each other yesterday. The players of "Epizentrum" emerged stronger: in the middle of the second half, Andriy Lysenko scored a goal that proved decisive — 1:0.

Another contender for promotion to the UPL, YUKSA, has strengthened its ranks with stopper Oleksandr Melnyk from "Veres," and among newcomers is Brazilian Romarinho — son of legendary striker Ronaldo. In their last friendly match, the team from Tarasivka convincingly defeated Vinnytsia's "Niva" — 3:0; another Brazilian, Mateus, sealed the victory.

"Bukovyna" has focused on experience in its recruitment efforts. Chernivtsi is very hopeful that new signings Oleksandr Vasylyev from "Chornomorets" and Oleg Kozushko from "Kryvyi Rih," who have played a lot in the elite, will quickly become leaders of the team.

Apart from "Epizentrum," another active player on the transfer market was "Poltava." The management of these teams trusts players already under contract and believes they will continue to progress.

Calendar and standings