All wins in Europe are important
Thursday, November 6, 2025
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Press conference of Shakhtar head coach Arda Turan after the UEFA Conference League match against Breiðablik (2-0)
– First of all, I want to congratulate my players. All wins in Europe are important to me, so I’m very happy right now. Regarding the positives from the match: we had a lot of young players on the pitch, we controlled the game the way we wanted, influenced its flow, kept good possession, as well as showed patience, commitment to our system and a strong reaction. We approached the game very seriously – and that was extremely important for us. It’s not easy for the footballers who haven’t played for a long time. As for the negatives and what we can improve: we can add more creativity in the final third, perform better in one-on-one situations, improve our first touches and make better runs. We can be more decisive in the attacking zone, but of course, that’s not easy. I’m very happy with the victory and want to congratulate my team and players once again.
– The score is 2-0 – that’s obviously what you needed, but are you satisfied with the performance? Some of the players who came on today should have had motivation and energy, yet at times they didn’t look at their best. (terrikon.com)
– I’ve already spoken about the aspects I’m satisfied with and those I’m not. Regarding reaction and control of the game – I’m happy. But some of our offence decisions need improvement, particularly first touches and one-on-one situations. I don’t think some players lack motivation, because, as I said, it’s not easy. The team have played European matches in front of 40–50 thousand fans, and now it’s 1–2 thousand. Regardless, football is at its best with fans because when you’re very tired, sometimes you need them to push you. So the least I could blame my players for is a lack of motivation.
– Do the team feel the support of Ukrainian fans in Poland and how does it affect the players? (Typical Kraków)
– Of course, fans are extremely important to us. Football is played for the supporters. When we have the maximum number of fans, we are at our happiest. We need both their quantity and their presence because this team can go all the way in the UEFA Conference League. When we play home matches, we truly need to feel that home support. That’s why our fans are so important to us.
– Do you think the upcoming match against Poltava in the UPL will be tougher than today’s game? (terrikon.com)
– The Ukrainian Championship is very tough. Every match is important and we are looking at each game as a final. We take it game by game. At the moment, the most important match for us, in every aspect, is the one against Poltava. We are also aware of their situation and position. We believe they haven’t been able to return to the level of performance they’ve shown in many matches in terms of results. So we will show them the utmost respect, while playing a very aggressive game with possession.
– The score is 2-0 – that’s obviously what you needed, but are you satisfied with the performance? Some of the players who came on today should have had motivation and energy, yet at times they didn’t look at their best. (terrikon.com)
– I’ve already spoken about the aspects I’m satisfied with and those I’m not. Regarding reaction and control of the game – I’m happy. But some of our offence decisions need improvement, particularly first touches and one-on-one situations. I don’t think some players lack motivation, because, as I said, it’s not easy. The team have played European matches in front of 40–50 thousand fans, and now it’s 1–2 thousand. Regardless, football is at its best with fans because when you’re very tired, sometimes you need them to push you. So the least I could blame my players for is a lack of motivation.
– Do the team feel the support of Ukrainian fans in Poland and how does it affect the players? (Typical Kraków)
– Of course, fans are extremely important to us. Football is played for the supporters. When we have the maximum number of fans, we are at our happiest. We need both their quantity and their presence because this team can go all the way in the UEFA Conference League. When we play home matches, we truly need to feel that home support. That’s why our fans are so important to us.
– Do you think the upcoming match against Poltava in the UPL will be tougher than today’s game? (terrikon.com)
– The Ukrainian Championship is very tough. Every match is important and we are looking at each game as a final. We take it game by game. At the moment, the most important match for us, in every aspect, is the one against Poltava. We are also aware of their situation and position. We believe they haven’t been able to return to the level of performance they’ve shown in many matches in terms of results. So we will show them the utmost respect, while playing a very aggressive game with possession.