To show our maximum
Monday, September 30, 2019
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Shakhtar midfielder and captain Taison took part in a pre-match press conference on the eve of the Champions League match vs Atalanta
- What are your expectations of the match against Atalanta and what do your teammates say about the upcoming meeting?
- We are psyching ourselves up for a tough encounter, for the strong opponents. Every game is important. In any competition, any game, you must take to the pitch and give your all. We know very well how tough tomorrow's opponents are. We must show our maximum, give our all and leave the stadium with the understanding that we did everything we could.
- Do you know the Atalanta captain Alejandro Gomez, who also used to play in Ukraine, and can we say that this will be a showdown between you and him tomorrow?
- Yes, I know him well: both Marlos and I used to play with him for Metalist. Gomez is an excellent footballer, no doubt. But I by no means think that tomorrow it will be an encounter between Taison and Gomez, we will have one team playing against the other. When Shakhtar win, not only Taison or Marlos win, but the whole team do, so it’s important for us to be prepared as good as possible just as a team. And you can’t individualise it by saying that Taison and Gomez will meet. Tomorrow, we have the match between Shakhtar and Atalanta.
- While preparing for the game, which of Atalanta’s games gave you more information: the one in Zagreb, where the Italians conceded four goals, or the one when they themselves performed very well offensively? What is more important tomorrow: to be strong offensively or to play safe defensively?
- It’s important to both attack and defend well. We reviewed all those games, but they all are history now. We will also appear after a negative outcome against Manchester City and everything will be completely different. Football provides various opportunities. You can’t come over and just defend. Our team will show their play just the way we do it at home and always. Displaying some quality and spectacular performance - we will try to do that from the first to the very last minute.
- We are psyching ourselves up for a tough encounter, for the strong opponents. Every game is important. In any competition, any game, you must take to the pitch and give your all. We know very well how tough tomorrow's opponents are. We must show our maximum, give our all and leave the stadium with the understanding that we did everything we could.
- Do you know the Atalanta captain Alejandro Gomez, who also used to play in Ukraine, and can we say that this will be a showdown between you and him tomorrow?
- Yes, I know him well: both Marlos and I used to play with him for Metalist. Gomez is an excellent footballer, no doubt. But I by no means think that tomorrow it will be an encounter between Taison and Gomez, we will have one team playing against the other. When Shakhtar win, not only Taison or Marlos win, but the whole team do, so it’s important for us to be prepared as good as possible just as a team. And you can’t individualise it by saying that Taison and Gomez will meet. Tomorrow, we have the match between Shakhtar and Atalanta.
- While preparing for the game, which of Atalanta’s games gave you more information: the one in Zagreb, where the Italians conceded four goals, or the one when they themselves performed very well offensively? What is more important tomorrow: to be strong offensively or to play safe defensively?
- It’s important to both attack and defend well. We reviewed all those games, but they all are history now. We will also appear after a negative outcome against Manchester City and everything will be completely different. Football provides various opportunities. You can’t come over and just defend. Our team will show their play just the way we do it at home and always. Displaying some quality and spectacular performance - we will try to do that from the first to the very last minute.
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