“There was a scene with ballerinas and we were sitting like mobsters. That's when he took Marica”
Article by David Marinescu – Published Thursday, January 22, 2026, 11:23 / Updated Thursday, January 22, 2026 11:28
The impresario Giovanni Becali (73 years old) told several incidents with Rinat Akhmetov (59 years old), the owner of Shakhtior Donetsk. The agent detailed how after each event, the Ukrainian billionaire would improvise a scene and bring in ballerinas, while they sat “like mobsters”.
Also, Giovanni testified how Ahmetov was impressed by Mircea Lucescu, the one who coached Shakhtior between 2004-2016.
Giovanni Becali recounted the adventures with Rinat Ahmetov: “The man has culture”
“Rinat came here, when he played with Dinamo (No. Shakhtior Donetsk). No sir, super-sir! He only with a tie, this one. When Lucescu first brought him as a guest to the new house he was building. Lucescu was impressed, that Lucescu knew all the furniture, from the time of that Henry, of the kings, this one. He knew all types of furniture.
Akhmetov remained a mask. Wine, when we were drinking wine. I stayed there for half a day with Lucescu and him. Lucescu knows all the wines. It's refined. Man has culture. Naturally, man has culture. Yes, and impressed him. He invited us to the base. I saw the base. I saw the second team. I saw the youth team. Ahmetov was stunned when he saw what kind of culture Lucescu has,” revealed Giovanni Becali, according to fanatik.ro.
Mircea Lucescu with Rinat Ahmetov // photo: Imago Images
“I took 8-9-10 players. After any event, at a hotel, a scene was improvised with ballerinas and we sat like mobsters. I, with Gică Popescu, with my brother, with him, with his bodyguards, sang.
And he came here, with Dinamo. I made a beautiful show. I ate.. I gave a speech like a president of the country, that the friendship between Romania and… He also spoke from the side of Ukraine. You said we were state presidents. 40 bodyguards that Nețoiu brought me. Dinamo beat him. Then he took Ciprian Marica, for 5-6 million euros, I don't know anymore”, added Giovanni Becali.
