We added variety
Saturday, May 3, 2025
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Press conference of Shakhtar head coach Marino Pusic after the UPL match against Chornomorets (3-0)
– What was the most difficult part of the game for you today, if can you talk about it at all? (ua-football.com)
– Well, I think I can be satisfied with a lot of things today: especially with the way we acted with the ball, controlled the ball, and our reaction when we lost the ball was very good. We pressed very high, we had a good intensity, and we controlled the game from the first seconds, so that was very good from our side. What I would like to improve is that in the first half we played too much through the middle, sometimes with very good combinations, but if you play too much through the centre, you do not use the flanks properly, and that is why we did not create more big chances. We had maybe two or three opportunities, but I think there could have been more. We changed that in the second half – we added variety to our attacks, using our flanks and positions better. So we attacked better to create more quality chances. Altogether, after winning 3-0, I am very satisfied with the way my team played today, except for the things I mentioned. As for the attitude and energy we had – it was a great game. But certain moments could have been done better in the first half.
– What leverage did you use at half-time to motivate your players for them to turn the score from 0-0 to 3-0 in the second half? (sport.ua)
– Not much was said, to be honest. We had good energy in the first half as well, we played very well, but we used the central area of the pitch too much, so we started to act outside more. We needed to stretch the opponent more, and that is why we got into better positions. That was all, actually. I was satisfied with our energy, our discipline, the way we tried to play. But, one more time, there was a little too much action through the middle, we needed more flanks.
– Newertton’s first goal, when he passed four opponents – does he often do that during training sessions or was it a coincidence? (sport.ua)
– No, no, he does it. Although that does not mean he always succeeds. Actually, it was a good goal. I was very happy for him. Like I said, he is a young, talented player, but there are also very good players in his position, so you need to have patience. And because he worked very hard during training sessions and tried to improve, I gave him a chance to play today – he paid back with two goals and a good attitude. So I am very happy for Newertton, happy with his performance and two goals. It is good for his confidence as well, it was good to see.
– When you were invited to take charge of Shakhtar, did you realise what you would have to face in Ukraine? Were you prepared for it? And how do you personally manage to endure all this – have you gotten used to it or is it leaving some kind of imprint? (ua-football.com)
– Of course, I knew that there was a war going on, but the picture you have before you come somewhere is always completely different from the picture you have when you are already there. And I have to tell you, it cannot be compared to anything. Sometimes it has nothing to do anymore with professional football: the alarms, the breaks, the absence of fans, the travels we need to do, the energy we have to spend on travelling, and many other things. It is completely different from what I thought it would be. But at the same time, I see and face it as a challenge. I am always a positive guy, no matter the circumstances. I always try to get the best out of myself, the people around me and my team, and that is the energy I put into it all the time. Is it easy? No, absolutely not. Because, as you know, we are probably the only club, one of the clubs playing on this level, that does not have a particular base. We travel a lot, we face a lot of changes – it has a lot of impact, whether you want it or not, on the players as well, because they also have families, they are not with them. So it is also sometimes very difficult mentally for the players. It is not easy to deal with that, although, I have to say, I cannot complain about them at all because they do their very best, work very hard every day during training sessions. Yes, it would help a lot if there were a lot of people in the stadium, if we had our own stadium where we could play with the support of our own fans, if we did not travel so much, etc. But one more time, the circumstances do not determine my mentality. I want to stay at the highest level, compete at the highest level, make the players better and put a lot of energy and positivity into my club and my team.
– There was a touching moment when Rakitskyi was replaced, when you hugged him and said something to him. We would like to know, what was the conversation with the opponent’s player about? (ua-football.com)
– Yes, it is not often you see a coach approaching an opponent’s player, but I worked with Yaroslav, he is a fantastic, unusual guy, an amazing, talented player. I told him that I miss his character. That is something you cannot find easily. Of course, we know that he is finishing his career in a different shape, that this is not the Yaroslav in his best time, but still this guy had some kind of specific elements in his character that I like a lot. He was always there when we needed him, even when he was injured, he was able to play. And, of course, I know that he is finishing his career. At certain moments, a player and a club need to make these changes, these decisions, but it does not mean that I do not have a lot of respect for Rakitskyi as a player and a person. He is an amazing player with an amazing character.
– Well, I think I can be satisfied with a lot of things today: especially with the way we acted with the ball, controlled the ball, and our reaction when we lost the ball was very good. We pressed very high, we had a good intensity, and we controlled the game from the first seconds, so that was very good from our side. What I would like to improve is that in the first half we played too much through the middle, sometimes with very good combinations, but if you play too much through the centre, you do not use the flanks properly, and that is why we did not create more big chances. We had maybe two or three opportunities, but I think there could have been more. We changed that in the second half – we added variety to our attacks, using our flanks and positions better. So we attacked better to create more quality chances. Altogether, after winning 3-0, I am very satisfied with the way my team played today, except for the things I mentioned. As for the attitude and energy we had – it was a great game. But certain moments could have been done better in the first half.
– What leverage did you use at half-time to motivate your players for them to turn the score from 0-0 to 3-0 in the second half? (sport.ua)
– Not much was said, to be honest. We had good energy in the first half as well, we played very well, but we used the central area of the pitch too much, so we started to act outside more. We needed to stretch the opponent more, and that is why we got into better positions. That was all, actually. I was satisfied with our energy, our discipline, the way we tried to play. But, one more time, there was a little too much action through the middle, we needed more flanks.
– Newertton’s first goal, when he passed four opponents – does he often do that during training sessions or was it a coincidence? (sport.ua)
– No, no, he does it. Although that does not mean he always succeeds. Actually, it was a good goal. I was very happy for him. Like I said, he is a young, talented player, but there are also very good players in his position, so you need to have patience. And because he worked very hard during training sessions and tried to improve, I gave him a chance to play today – he paid back with two goals and a good attitude. So I am very happy for Newertton, happy with his performance and two goals. It is good for his confidence as well, it was good to see.
– When you were invited to take charge of Shakhtar, did you realise what you would have to face in Ukraine? Were you prepared for it? And how do you personally manage to endure all this – have you gotten used to it or is it leaving some kind of imprint? (ua-football.com)
– Of course, I knew that there was a war going on, but the picture you have before you come somewhere is always completely different from the picture you have when you are already there. And I have to tell you, it cannot be compared to anything. Sometimes it has nothing to do anymore with professional football: the alarms, the breaks, the absence of fans, the travels we need to do, the energy we have to spend on travelling, and many other things. It is completely different from what I thought it would be. But at the same time, I see and face it as a challenge. I am always a positive guy, no matter the circumstances. I always try to get the best out of myself, the people around me and my team, and that is the energy I put into it all the time. Is it easy? No, absolutely not. Because, as you know, we are probably the only club, one of the clubs playing on this level, that does not have a particular base. We travel a lot, we face a lot of changes – it has a lot of impact, whether you want it or not, on the players as well, because they also have families, they are not with them. So it is also sometimes very difficult mentally for the players. It is not easy to deal with that, although, I have to say, I cannot complain about them at all because they do their very best, work very hard every day during training sessions. Yes, it would help a lot if there were a lot of people in the stadium, if we had our own stadium where we could play with the support of our own fans, if we did not travel so much, etc. But one more time, the circumstances do not determine my mentality. I want to stay at the highest level, compete at the highest level, make the players better and put a lot of energy and positivity into my club and my team.
– There was a touching moment when Rakitskyi was replaced, when you hugged him and said something to him. We would like to know, what was the conversation with the opponent’s player about? (ua-football.com)
– Yes, it is not often you see a coach approaching an opponent’s player, but I worked with Yaroslav, he is a fantastic, unusual guy, an amazing, talented player. I told him that I miss his character. That is something you cannot find easily. Of course, we know that he is finishing his career in a different shape, that this is not the Yaroslav in his best time, but still this guy had some kind of specific elements in his character that I like a lot. He was always there when we needed him, even when he was injured, he was able to play. And, of course, I know that he is finishing his career. At certain moments, a player and a club need to make these changes, these decisions, but it does not mean that I do not have a lot of respect for Rakitskyi as a player and a person. He is an amazing player with an amazing character.