I’m happy that we won

– I’m happy that we won, without a doubt. It’s a great result, one that allowed us to please our fans today. Regarding the match itself, there were moments I was satisfied with and others where I wasn’t entirely happy. What I think we could improve on are decision-making in the final third and some specific passes during transitions from one half of the pitch to the other. It’s also important to understand that we have a lot of travel – both behind us and ahead – which is why we took care of all our footballers. At the same time, this approach gives positive rhythm and energy to those who get less playing time. So today, as in previous matches, there were substitutions. This will continue in future games. If we look at the flow of the match itself, honestly, I was more satisfied with how we played in Zhytomyr against Polissia, even though the result was a draw and not entirely satisfactory. But it’s important to realise that the process doesn’t happen in a single day. Of course, we could have sacrificed some principles for the sake of the result, but that would mean losing our identity and abandoning the style of football that is fundamental for us. It’s also crucial to keep in mind that many of our players are just 18 years old; some are very far from home, over 12,000 kilometres away, and it’s impossible to integrate them instantly or throw them straight into the action – everything has to happen gradually, step by step. That’s why I’m ready to forgive their mistakes and give them space and time, which will help their growth in the future. Right now, it’s vital to stay calm and approach the entire process and strategy with a cool head. And we must insist on the things we consider right and fundamental for our style of play.

– Could today’s clash serve as a foundation for future wins against Dynamo? (vgolos.ua)
– I’m convinced that every game is a different system. On one hand, you can’t consider the match against Kudrivka as a foundation for facing Dynamo; on the other hand, every game can be viewed as preparation for a clash with Dynamo or any other team. It’s important to analyse opponents separately, even in specific encounters ahead of us: one, I remind you, is in the Cup, the other is in the league. So every game is a separate story and it’s very important to draw the right, measured conclusions.

– Do players need special motivation for matches like this? After all, this season you’ve played against Beşiktaş, Panathinaikos, then in the Conference League, and now you’re back home, facing, with all due respect to Kudrivka, the UPL newcomers. Do the players need extra motivation? (kamp-sport.com)
– For your understanding, we work on positional play very often at the training sessions and it’s crucial to maintain concentration during a game. I can give examples from a recent encounter with Karpaty where we conceded a goal in the final minutes due to a lapse in concentration. We don’t even need to mention the game against LNZ – they completely outplayed us and deserved the win. In football, everything is based on respect, you must always respect your opponents. Throughout my life, I’ve constantly encountered similar experiences. I remember a story from when I was a very young player in the Türkiye national team, we dropped points against Malta in a qualifier in 2008. Every game deserves respect, all opponents must be analysed and you must treat them appropriately. The same applies to Dynamo – it’s a completely different match, a completely different emotion. I’m happy with today’s three points, and for me, it doesn’t matter who we earned them against. They go into our points tally and add to our achievements this season. So, if you don’t respect Kudrivka, you can’t really claim to respect other opponents either.

– Mister, today you again rotated the squad, in particular we didn’t see Mykola Matviienko in the starting line-up. However, looking at the line-up in the last European match, some thought arose that priority is being given to the UPL. Is it true that Shakhtar’s main goal is to secure high positions in the league and the Cup? (ProFootball)
– I’m a young coach, as you know, and I tend to be a maximalist: I want to win every match, always. Of course, the focus on the Premier League is important, we want to reclaim the title. But the Conference League is a completely different level, it is a European competition. The Ukrainian Cup is also very important to us because we are Shakhtar and aim to compete for trophies in every tournament we take part in. Mykola Matviienko is undoubtedly a team leader and captain, and it’s important to remember that his season started extremely early, back in June, with international duties. He hardly gets any rest, and his family is far away, so he rarely sees them. As head coach, I have to protect and take care of every player, and I constantly emphasise that every player is important to me, perhaps Mykola is even slightly more important than the others. That’s why I wanted to rest him for future matches as we’ll need him throughout the season. Coming back to your question, yes, of course, the UPL is very important for us, and winning the league medals is certainly set as our target for the season.

Regarding rotation: when you have Messi, Iniesta and Xavi on the bench while Arda Turan plays, that’s rotation. Our situation is a bit different: we have 24 players, some more experienced, but mostly a young squad that we are trying to develop to a higher level. It’s important to understand this. I don’t view it as rotation, it’s simply a gradual process of giving playing time and integrating each available footballer into our football context.

– We’ve seen the Bondar – Marlon Santos duo for the second match in a row. How would you rate this link between the central defenders? (CommonPlay)
– As I constantly emphasise, we take it game by game, of course taking into account each tactic and system employed by our opponents. It’s also important to understand that I make the final decision on the starting line-up based on this. Regarding Marlon Santos, I spoke with him in June. Considering his long absence before returning to Shakhtar, I asked how much time he would need to get back into match shape. He said he wanted to return as quickly as possible and contribute to the team, and such attitude certainly deserves respect. As for our defenders, it’s very important to bring them to peak form at the right moment of the season. The entire coaching staff is working on this. We have many games ahead in the league and hopefully in the Ukrainian Cup, as well as on our path to the later stages of the Conference League, which I also very much hope for. We need all our players and I count on everyone. We also have another talented centre-back, Alaa Ghram, and we’re all working to ensure our defenders are in the best possible condition and can contribute throughout the season.

– Today you substituted Oleh Ocheretko, one of the best on the pitch, as well as Valerii Bondar. How serious are their injuries and will they be ready for the match against Dynamo? (Healthy City – Lviv project)
– To some extent, I’m concerned about how the media often try to raise these issues before we at the club have any officially confirmed information. From my side, I’ll wait for the results of a full medical examination with our team doctor, who will inform me before tomorrow’s training session about their readiness to participate in the match. Of course, these are extremely important players for us, and I sincerely hope I’ll be able to count on them on Wednesday in the Ukrainian Cup clash with Dynamo. But even if, unfortunately, they are unavailable for some time, we always have an alternative plan and other ways to prepare for upcoming matches.

– What are you expecting from the two matches against Dynamo – in the Cup and the league? (Shakhtar Life)
– Victories.