Winning the Cup is always a pleasure
Thursday, May 15, 2025
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Shakhtar defender Valerii Bondar shared his impressions of the victory over Dynamo in the Ukrainian Cup final
– Valerii, what did the head coach say to motivate the team at half-time?
– He calmed us down a bit because that goal in the 43rd minute was, let’s say, rather unnecessary… So the coach reassured us and said we still had at least 45 minutes. Dynamo had previously come back from 0-2, so we talked about how we would act in certain attacking and defensive situations, made a few tactical adjustments and started playing a bit differently, more aggressively, and, above all, with more energy.
– Did the fact that you didn’t win the league title put any pressure on the team to win the Cup?
– No, there was no pressure at all. We understand that Shakhtar always set the highest goals, and of course, we wanted to make our fans happy, those who were at the stadium and who are always with us, worrying, supporting us. Yes, the league campaign was unsuccessful, but we won the Cup and gave them some joy and happiness. Winning the Cup is always a pleasure, and I think we made a few people happy.
– How did the team decide who would take the penalties?
– The coach started naming the players, and then the lads said who felt confident. That’s basically how it went – the order was just as Master said. So, he named a player, the lads replied: “Yes, we’re confident,” and went up to take it.
– There were a lot of Dynamo fans at the stadium. How difficult was it to play under such pressure and did you feel it?
– From my perspective, it was Shakhtar fans who stood out – I could clearly hear them cheering us on. Thanks to everyone who came to the stadium, especially our ultras and all those who supported us. Huge thanks! There were plenty of you and you could really be heard.
– There’s not much time before the next match. Do you have enough energy left and will you have time to recover?
– Yes, we’ve got a qualified personnel and medical staff, and I’m confident they’ll do everything necessary. We are professionals as well and must approach every match with full seriousness. We understand there are just two matches left and we’ll do everything we can to win both and head into the break in good spirits.
– He calmed us down a bit because that goal in the 43rd minute was, let’s say, rather unnecessary… So the coach reassured us and said we still had at least 45 minutes. Dynamo had previously come back from 0-2, so we talked about how we would act in certain attacking and defensive situations, made a few tactical adjustments and started playing a bit differently, more aggressively, and, above all, with more energy.
– Did the fact that you didn’t win the league title put any pressure on the team to win the Cup?
– No, there was no pressure at all. We understand that Shakhtar always set the highest goals, and of course, we wanted to make our fans happy, those who were at the stadium and who are always with us, worrying, supporting us. Yes, the league campaign was unsuccessful, but we won the Cup and gave them some joy and happiness. Winning the Cup is always a pleasure, and I think we made a few people happy.
– How did the team decide who would take the penalties?
– The coach started naming the players, and then the lads said who felt confident. That’s basically how it went – the order was just as Master said. So, he named a player, the lads replied: “Yes, we’re confident,” and went up to take it.
– There were a lot of Dynamo fans at the stadium. How difficult was it to play under such pressure and did you feel it?
– From my perspective, it was Shakhtar fans who stood out – I could clearly hear them cheering us on. Thanks to everyone who came to the stadium, especially our ultras and all those who supported us. Huge thanks! There were plenty of you and you could really be heard.
– There’s not much time before the next match. Do you have enough energy left and will you have time to recover?
– Yes, we’ve got a qualified personnel and medical staff, and I’m confident they’ll do everything necessary. We are professionals as well and must approach every match with full seriousness. We understand there are just two matches left and we’ll do everything we can to win both and head into the break in good spirits.