Kyiv, November 1 (Interfax-Ukraine) - Shakhtar Donetsk manager Mircea Lucescu has said he believes that if the removal of clubs from the Ukrainian Premier League becomes a trend, this could push the country to participation in a joint league with Russia.

"If this continues, then, of course, the idea of a joint league with Russia will be confirmed. One of the largest countries in Europe has 12 teams in the championship... It's nonsense! I don't think that in such a powerful and rich state as Ukraine, with such big cities, there are no people who can support the teams in the Premier League at the professional level," Shakhtar's press service quoted him as saying during an open training session on Wednesday.

"We need to attract those who can fund the clubs. There are people who have earned a lot of money over this time. Maybe they can invest their money, not only in football. This concerns medicine and other fields. As an example, I can name our president [Shakhtar President Rinat Akhmetov], who not only supports the football club, but also helps anyone in many other areas. Ukraine has such potential, and there are people with great potential. I hope that they will be found. If not, then, of course, there remains only a joint league [with Russia]," Lucescu said.

On October 29, Director General of FC Arsenal Kyiv Viktor Holovko said that the club had started bankruptcy procedures and had been eliminated from the Ukrainian Premier League and the Ukrainian Cup in the 2013/2014 season due to the absence of financing.