Fonseca: Match against Karpaty will be very tough

Monday, November 14, 2016

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FCSD

Shakhtar head coach answered questions from the media at the team’s open training session

- Paulo, did you analyse Karpaty performance? What major tactical things do you focus on before the match?
- We know Karpaty well. This team caused us some difficulties in the season’s first half. We understand that the upcoming meeting will be tough. How is your preparation going? A large number of Shakhtar players are on international duty. So we are undergoing a general preparatory process involving the players available. After the return of our internationals, we will focus on some specific details.

- Who of the young players attending the session may appear against Karpaty?
- It's hard to talk about it now and pick those who might take part in the match.

- How's Taison? They said that previously he’d worked individually. Is he fine?
- I do not know where you got that piece of news. Taison has always trained with the team, he did not have any individual sessions. Frankly, it's a surprise for me.

- How do you like the weather, the snow? Does it seem that you are somewhere in Alaska, rather than in Ukraine?
- That's very beautiful. I have never seen that in my life. Every morning you wake up, look out and see such beauty. That's unforgettable. Speaking about training sessions, of course, the weather is far from being in our favour. Look around and at the pitch condition. But we will try to go through all those difficulties and continue our normal training process.

- In Ukraine, they usually make a snowman. Your sessions are always creative, and in this case it is necessary to bend and walk a lot - a very good exercise for the back leg muscles. Maybe you will come up with something like that?
- To be honest, I'm open to any kind of innovations in training. I will always do what is best for the team. If it's good for our legs, adductors and abs, then I will not mind bending and making a snowman. But what I can guarantee you is this: after today’s session, the players are likely to have a snowball fight.

- What do you make of your charges’ performance in Saturday's meeting Ukraine vs Finland? Andriy Shevchenko said that the players of Shakhtar and Dynamo were tired due to the large number of appearances for their clubs.
- It’s quite normal that the guys are tired. I fully agree with Shevchenko. Due to the huge number of games, we simply do not have time to recover. By the way, I will take advantage of your question and voice to the Federation my request or suggestion: it is impossible to play having just a 48h break. One day for a player is next to nothing to recover from a difficult game. I would like to ask for the future - perhaps someone will hear about another day added for the guys to have at least three days for recovery. For example, we play on Wednesday, with the next match on Sunday. If we play on Thursday, our next game will be on Monday. So far, the boys, of course, get tired. They find it tough.

- Karpaty forward Gustavo Blanco Leschuk said that nothing is impossible, that Lviv can beat Shakhtar. What would you answer?
- I think it’s absolutely normal when an opposing player believes in his team, in their win, making such statements. I would consider it strange had it been the other way around. Meanwhile, we are preparing for the match to reduce their optimism a bit and win it.

Wellington Nem left just before the first snow. Are those facts connected in any way? Or you are just unhappy with something in football or organisational terms?
- That’s an absolutely normal situation in football, and so it should be perceived. Wellington did not play that frequently - not just this year, but also in the previous seasons. Of course, he wanted to be fielded more often. There was a proposal from the Brazilian club Sao Paulo. I think he is pleased with the fact that he will have more opportunities to play. Nem talked to us. We decided that it would be better for him, of course, considering his subsequent return to Shakhtar. And now he's there. I think it will be good for everyone.

- Finland coach and players highlighted Taras Stepanenko the most. What do you make of his progress since the beginning of the season and his role in the team, including the national team?
- Firstly, of course I am very pleased that the coach of Finland has mentioned our player. This means that Stepanenko works and proves himself well. Nothing surprises me: Taras is a very important football player for Shakhtar and Ukraine national team. I hope he will continue in the same vein.