We will face the champions
Wednesday, November 26, 2025
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Press conference of Shakhtar head coach Arda Turan ahead of the UEFA Conference League clash with Shamrock Rovers
– We will face an opponent with a coach who has managed over 400 games at this club. They have a champion’s mentality in their DNA. I’ve said this before when we played Aberdeen. It’s very difficult to face an opponent in this part of the world, in the north. Corners, free kicks, the mentality of the game – a tough match awaits us. I also told my players: we will face the champions and we need to remember how to play against champions. This is a very important match for us and we will act accordingly on the pitch tomorrow.
– Tomorrow, with a win, Shakhtar could secure a place in the play-offs. How important is it for the team to settle this matter early, rather than leaving it until the final rounds? (Shakhtar TV)
– Of course, that’s a general way of looking at things, a general idea, but our approach is more based on the principle of “game by game”. First and foremost, we want to control the game and achieve results in these matches. Looking ahead, it’s more important for us to control the game, and then secure points. As I’ve said before, we have big dreams regarding Europe. I believe that people in Ukraine, especially children and the youth, need such dreams in their lives. Therefore, a win tomorrow and increasing our chances of finishing in the top eight at this stage of the League is very important for us. Tomorrow’s match will be very significant in that sense.
– Was the preparation for this match different, in a positive sense? After all, this is the first time you approach a European game with strong results in the UPL. Is there a sense of a stronger mentality that wasn’t there before the clashes with Aberdeen or Legia? (Zorya Londonsk)
– Of course, victories give the players a different level of confidence. But it is we who control where we are and where we are heading in terms of our position, and for that, we need to have the same mentality and preparation for every match. We know best where we are and where we are going. And before such games, it’s normal for the media, the fans and everyone else to have their opinions about our position, the situation with the players, but it is we who know how to act when we win and when we lose.
– Is everyone okay, in form and ready for the game? And might there be any surprises? I know you’re not very fond of the word “rotation,” but could there be any surprises in the squad? (ua.tribuna.com)
– A surprise for you or for me? For me, there will be no surprises. I have 24 excellent players. We are ready for tomorrow’s match, and I’m thinking about the best eleven against the champions of Ireland. They are a great team. And, if you want to know, Isaque will play, if that’s a surprise for you. For me, it’s not a surprise. He is a golden boy. I can put it exactly like that.
– Since we’ve already touched on music and Ukrainian music, perhaps you’ve already fallen in love with it and know some artists or a song you like? (ua.tribuna.com)
– I can say just one thing: we are at war. You know, Ukrainians need to be happy. We, on our part, will try to contribute to that. On the other hand, music, theatre or art in general – all of this can give something to Ukrainians. And one more thing: I like everything in Ukraine. Your people are doing an incredible job, especially since the war is ongoing. They don’t stop for anything. For me, that is incredible. It’s the best. And it’s also a very good example for me. It’s a wonderful trait of all Ukrainians, of all young people.
– Speaking about Shamrock rovers, can you tell us about the opponents’ players, name specific footballers who cause the most concern? (football24.ua)
– They have an excellent midfielder, Watts, a very aggressive player. Also number two, Honohan – usually a left-back, but sometimes he can play on the right. A very good footballer. Very aggressive in one-on-one situations. Gaffney – a very aggressive footballer, number 20. He’s very experienced, 36 years old. They also have an excellent captain. And number 10, Burke, has good qualities as well. We are ready for our lesson and we respect them a lot. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: they are champions. If they are champions, we are ready to play against them. Because we respect them very much. Their position is better than ours because we are not champions right now, and they are.
– Shakhtar currently have three matches left in the Conference League. Is the main goal to reach the top eight to avoid the play-offs next winter? And approaching these games, you are effectively the favourites, at least with bookmakers. Do you think you can make it into that top eight? (Zorya Londonsk)
– We will aim for that. But for us, player development is more important. We have quite a few young players, and this is a great experience for them. First and foremost, we will work on that. Secondly, we aim to reach the quarter-finals. But if we have to play in the play-offs, we can get through that stage as well, it’s not a problem for us. Of course, we want the team to always be in the best possible position. If we don’t have to play the play-offs, that will be excellent for us. But we will try. For me, the best approach is step by step. I’m a student of Cholo Simeone: step by step, game by game. That is very important.
– May I ask you about the challenges of working in Ukraine, given everything that’s happening? Focusing only on football. (Irish media)
– My friend, I don’t want to talk about the negative. First of all, I want to say “thank you” to my players. Why? We travelled here for 16 hours. 16 hours. Yes, everything is very well organised. We have a great bus, a great plane. But we are here after 16 hours on the road. That is very tough for a football team. “This morning we did a warm-up, and now we will have a training session. A special one, not our usual session because after 16 hours of travel… It’s a very hard trip for us. On the other hand, we always focus on the positive. Where did I learn this? From these people. From Ukrainians. You know… when there are explosions in Ukraine, missiles and drones fly, people continue to live. I respect them very much. If you ask, I could name a hundred negative things, but we focus on the positive. And I would like to address all world leaders, I don’t know, Trump, maybe Putin, maybe Erdoğan, maybe Zelenskyy. Right now, it’s very hard for children. Children have to think about the war. They could be thinking about anything, but not the war in our time. If you spent one night in Kyiv, you wouldn’t want to talk about football. But these people live in these conditions every day. I respect them deeply. I love the people of Ukraine. I love my players. It doesn’t matter whether they win or lose. I ‘m here for them. And I also feel that Ukrainians are my family. That is what I wanted to say because it’s very emotional for me. Okay. Thank you for this question.
– Tomorrow, with a win, Shakhtar could secure a place in the play-offs. How important is it for the team to settle this matter early, rather than leaving it until the final rounds? (Shakhtar TV)
– Of course, that’s a general way of looking at things, a general idea, but our approach is more based on the principle of “game by game”. First and foremost, we want to control the game and achieve results in these matches. Looking ahead, it’s more important for us to control the game, and then secure points. As I’ve said before, we have big dreams regarding Europe. I believe that people in Ukraine, especially children and the youth, need such dreams in their lives. Therefore, a win tomorrow and increasing our chances of finishing in the top eight at this stage of the League is very important for us. Tomorrow’s match will be very significant in that sense.
– Was the preparation for this match different, in a positive sense? After all, this is the first time you approach a European game with strong results in the UPL. Is there a sense of a stronger mentality that wasn’t there before the clashes with Aberdeen or Legia? (Zorya Londonsk)
– Of course, victories give the players a different level of confidence. But it is we who control where we are and where we are heading in terms of our position, and for that, we need to have the same mentality and preparation for every match. We know best where we are and where we are going. And before such games, it’s normal for the media, the fans and everyone else to have their opinions about our position, the situation with the players, but it is we who know how to act when we win and when we lose.
– Is everyone okay, in form and ready for the game? And might there be any surprises? I know you’re not very fond of the word “rotation,” but could there be any surprises in the squad? (ua.tribuna.com)
– A surprise for you or for me? For me, there will be no surprises. I have 24 excellent players. We are ready for tomorrow’s match, and I’m thinking about the best eleven against the champions of Ireland. They are a great team. And, if you want to know, Isaque will play, if that’s a surprise for you. For me, it’s not a surprise. He is a golden boy. I can put it exactly like that.
– Since we’ve already touched on music and Ukrainian music, perhaps you’ve already fallen in love with it and know some artists or a song you like? (ua.tribuna.com)
– I can say just one thing: we are at war. You know, Ukrainians need to be happy. We, on our part, will try to contribute to that. On the other hand, music, theatre or art in general – all of this can give something to Ukrainians. And one more thing: I like everything in Ukraine. Your people are doing an incredible job, especially since the war is ongoing. They don’t stop for anything. For me, that is incredible. It’s the best. And it’s also a very good example for me. It’s a wonderful trait of all Ukrainians, of all young people.
– Speaking about Shamrock rovers, can you tell us about the opponents’ players, name specific footballers who cause the most concern? (football24.ua)
– They have an excellent midfielder, Watts, a very aggressive player. Also number two, Honohan – usually a left-back, but sometimes he can play on the right. A very good footballer. Very aggressive in one-on-one situations. Gaffney – a very aggressive footballer, number 20. He’s very experienced, 36 years old. They also have an excellent captain. And number 10, Burke, has good qualities as well. We are ready for our lesson and we respect them a lot. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: they are champions. If they are champions, we are ready to play against them. Because we respect them very much. Their position is better than ours because we are not champions right now, and they are.
– Shakhtar currently have three matches left in the Conference League. Is the main goal to reach the top eight to avoid the play-offs next winter? And approaching these games, you are effectively the favourites, at least with bookmakers. Do you think you can make it into that top eight? (Zorya Londonsk)
– We will aim for that. But for us, player development is more important. We have quite a few young players, and this is a great experience for them. First and foremost, we will work on that. Secondly, we aim to reach the quarter-finals. But if we have to play in the play-offs, we can get through that stage as well, it’s not a problem for us. Of course, we want the team to always be in the best possible position. If we don’t have to play the play-offs, that will be excellent for us. But we will try. For me, the best approach is step by step. I’m a student of Cholo Simeone: step by step, game by game. That is very important.
– May I ask you about the challenges of working in Ukraine, given everything that’s happening? Focusing only on football. (Irish media)
– My friend, I don’t want to talk about the negative. First of all, I want to say “thank you” to my players. Why? We travelled here for 16 hours. 16 hours. Yes, everything is very well organised. We have a great bus, a great plane. But we are here after 16 hours on the road. That is very tough for a football team. “This morning we did a warm-up, and now we will have a training session. A special one, not our usual session because after 16 hours of travel… It’s a very hard trip for us. On the other hand, we always focus on the positive. Where did I learn this? From these people. From Ukrainians. You know… when there are explosions in Ukraine, missiles and drones fly, people continue to live. I respect them very much. If you ask, I could name a hundred negative things, but we focus on the positive. And I would like to address all world leaders, I don’t know, Trump, maybe Putin, maybe Erdoğan, maybe Zelenskyy. Right now, it’s very hard for children. Children have to think about the war. They could be thinking about anything, but not the war in our time. If you spent one night in Kyiv, you wouldn’t want to talk about football. But these people live in these conditions every day. I respect them deeply. I love the people of Ukraine. I love my players. It doesn’t matter whether they win or lose. I ‘m here for them. And I also feel that Ukrainians are my family. That is what I wanted to say because it’s very emotional for me. Okay. Thank you for this question.
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