Those who wanted it more won
Monday, April 20, 2026
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Press conference of Shakhtar head coach Arda Turan after the UPL match against Polissia (1-0)
– Good evening, everyone! First of all, I would like to congratulate my counterpart, Mr Rotan, on the performance they showed today, and also on the football he is building, and Polissia as a project in general. It is always very difficult to prepare for them, and it is truly an extremely demanding match-up that requires a huge amount of effort. They forced us to sit deep in defence quite often through their strong attacking potential and high pressing. At the same time, they have a very good understanding of football, they all know where they need to be at the right moment and how to properly use their potential. So today, instead of the tactical aspect, I would like to emphasise psychology first and foremost because we had not been able to beat them in the Ukrainian league or even score a goal for five matches in a row, so it is extremely pleasing to break this negative history for us.
– At the previous press conference, you said that you do not have six Brazil national team players like Mircea Lucescu, but only youth team footballers. Ahead of the decisive stage – the end of the championship, the semi-finals against Crystal Palace and the derby against Dynamo Kyiv – how do you maintain this winning spirit in the team and how do you ensure that the young players do not burn out in key moments?
– First of all, I did not express myself in any negative way – these were only positive remarks to inspire my players, to show them that they still have room to grow, and to ensure they do not stop developing. As for the schedule, yes, it is really difficult because we are now playing consistently every three days. Right now, there are only our next opponents – Zorya Luhansk, who will host us in Kyiv in a rescheduled fixture. Indeed, if needed, we would even play tomorrow because we have to fulfil this match, which was postponed at the request of the UAF. For us, there is no such thing as a semi-final against Crystal Palace right now, we are fully focused only on the next game and continue to move from match to match. The most important thing is not to lose concentration and focus on what really matters. Also, I’m not sure there has ever been a case in history where a team competing in a country’s league during a full-scale war has also played 20 European matches, starting from the qualifiers and then through the subsequent stages of the competition. After the match, I had a pleasant conversation with my counterpart Ruslan Rotan and emphasised that the calendar needs to be changed. We need to ease it in certain moments, perhaps find periods in the season where it can be spread out more and give teams more room for manoeuvre when competing in European competitions. Because after 16-hour bus journeys, it is simply impossible and unrealistic to expect players to perform at their maximum physical level. I do not use this as an excuse because we understood the conditions we would be working in from the very beginning of my arrival at the club. We are aware of it and accept it, but if we want to improve Ukrainian football as a whole, we must also look for reforms and correct situations that do not support development. And how can I demand the maximum level from my players, considering the circumstances they have to face: the number of matches and the untypical training process that accompanies us?
– Congratulations on the victory and once again I would like to thank you on behalf of all Ukrainian football fans for taking a Ukrainian club at least to the semi-finals of a European competition. My question is about set pieces. In the previous UPL round, the team conceded two important goals from set pieces, while today you scored the decisive goal from a set piece. How much time, in such conditions with constant travel and all the circumstances, can you dedicate to such an important element of the game – set pieces, both defensively and offensively?
– Fortunately, we worked on our set-piece system both in attack and in defence during pre-season preparation at the beginning of the season. We try to maintain it from match to match and simply focus on the strengths and weaknesses of our opponents. The most important thing is always to stay focused and give maximum effort. In my view, a clear example is Valerii Bondar, who managed to make the difference through his high concentration. We conceded twice from similar situations in the previous match. I fully understand that, and as I said before, we are dealing with a very congested schedule and constant travel, and there is simply no real opportunity to have a proper training process. I respect that, and I’m extremely proud of the players for what they achieved today.
– Today you played against a club whose structure includes the world boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk. Have you met him before? Do you follow boxing, have you watched any of his fights? What can you say about him?
– He is, without any doubt, a legend, and his status in this discipline leaves no room for question. He is an incredible athlete with an outstanding mentality, which we deeply respect. At the same time, I appreciate that he has come into football and is also contributing through his influence.
– Congratulations on the victory in the context of the title race. In the first half, Shakhtar did not have a single shot, not only on target but overall. Clearly, this situation could not satisfy you. What did you tell the lads at half-time and what did you change to make us see a completely different Shakhtar in the second half?
– Probably today I was the calmest person and the calmest version of myself that I can imagine. Yes, usually at half-time, especially after such a first half, I would be quite expressive and put a lot of verbal pressure on my players. However, I have to thank my assistant Okan, who gave me valuable advice that as a head coach I should not only push them through pressure, but sometimes also show attention and, first of all, find words of encouragement. I was also a player, and I fully understand that it is impossible to maintain concentration for 90 minutes throughout a match, especially when you are young. We are all human, and any moment can happen in a game, so the most important thing is simply to try to understand your players and give them support through positive words. So I supported them, thanked them for their effort and said that this game is not only about tactical work, not only about the players’ technical ability, but above all it is about who wants to win more today.
– Today matches are assessed by the scoreline and statistics, but for players everything is decided by feelings – the atmosphere in the dressing room and within the team. Which of these invisible elements was the key factor that helped you win in your opinion?
– I emphasised in the dressing room after the match that nothing has been decided yet. And although this victory is very important in the context of the title race, it does not guarantee anything for us at this stage. First of all, it is important to understand that the current champions of Ukraine are Dynamo Kyiv and we must respect that. At the same time, another incredible opponents who are chasing us – LNZ – are currently in second spot. Our today’s opponents, Polissia, as well as Metalist 1925, are also teams that can cause many problems over the course of the season. So nothing has been decided yet, a lot still lies ahead, and we must respect all opponents until the very last minute, until the final whistle of the last match of this Ukrainian Premier League season. Do you know when the best in Europe are determined – both on the European stage in general and in domestic leagues? It is in May. So it is too early to talk about any conclusions for the season. And do you know why Messi and Ronaldo were the greatest in history? Because they were the best all the time – not in a single match or month, but from game to game, from encounter to encounter, from whistle to whistle.
– At the previous press conference, you said that you do not have six Brazil national team players like Mircea Lucescu, but only youth team footballers. Ahead of the decisive stage – the end of the championship, the semi-finals against Crystal Palace and the derby against Dynamo Kyiv – how do you maintain this winning spirit in the team and how do you ensure that the young players do not burn out in key moments?
– First of all, I did not express myself in any negative way – these were only positive remarks to inspire my players, to show them that they still have room to grow, and to ensure they do not stop developing. As for the schedule, yes, it is really difficult because we are now playing consistently every three days. Right now, there are only our next opponents – Zorya Luhansk, who will host us in Kyiv in a rescheduled fixture. Indeed, if needed, we would even play tomorrow because we have to fulfil this match, which was postponed at the request of the UAF. For us, there is no such thing as a semi-final against Crystal Palace right now, we are fully focused only on the next game and continue to move from match to match. The most important thing is not to lose concentration and focus on what really matters. Also, I’m not sure there has ever been a case in history where a team competing in a country’s league during a full-scale war has also played 20 European matches, starting from the qualifiers and then through the subsequent stages of the competition. After the match, I had a pleasant conversation with my counterpart Ruslan Rotan and emphasised that the calendar needs to be changed. We need to ease it in certain moments, perhaps find periods in the season where it can be spread out more and give teams more room for manoeuvre when competing in European competitions. Because after 16-hour bus journeys, it is simply impossible and unrealistic to expect players to perform at their maximum physical level. I do not use this as an excuse because we understood the conditions we would be working in from the very beginning of my arrival at the club. We are aware of it and accept it, but if we want to improve Ukrainian football as a whole, we must also look for reforms and correct situations that do not support development. And how can I demand the maximum level from my players, considering the circumstances they have to face: the number of matches and the untypical training process that accompanies us?
– Congratulations on the victory and once again I would like to thank you on behalf of all Ukrainian football fans for taking a Ukrainian club at least to the semi-finals of a European competition. My question is about set pieces. In the previous UPL round, the team conceded two important goals from set pieces, while today you scored the decisive goal from a set piece. How much time, in such conditions with constant travel and all the circumstances, can you dedicate to such an important element of the game – set pieces, both defensively and offensively?
– Fortunately, we worked on our set-piece system both in attack and in defence during pre-season preparation at the beginning of the season. We try to maintain it from match to match and simply focus on the strengths and weaknesses of our opponents. The most important thing is always to stay focused and give maximum effort. In my view, a clear example is Valerii Bondar, who managed to make the difference through his high concentration. We conceded twice from similar situations in the previous match. I fully understand that, and as I said before, we are dealing with a very congested schedule and constant travel, and there is simply no real opportunity to have a proper training process. I respect that, and I’m extremely proud of the players for what they achieved today.
– Today you played against a club whose structure includes the world boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk. Have you met him before? Do you follow boxing, have you watched any of his fights? What can you say about him?
– He is, without any doubt, a legend, and his status in this discipline leaves no room for question. He is an incredible athlete with an outstanding mentality, which we deeply respect. At the same time, I appreciate that he has come into football and is also contributing through his influence.
– Congratulations on the victory in the context of the title race. In the first half, Shakhtar did not have a single shot, not only on target but overall. Clearly, this situation could not satisfy you. What did you tell the lads at half-time and what did you change to make us see a completely different Shakhtar in the second half?
– Probably today I was the calmest person and the calmest version of myself that I can imagine. Yes, usually at half-time, especially after such a first half, I would be quite expressive and put a lot of verbal pressure on my players. However, I have to thank my assistant Okan, who gave me valuable advice that as a head coach I should not only push them through pressure, but sometimes also show attention and, first of all, find words of encouragement. I was also a player, and I fully understand that it is impossible to maintain concentration for 90 minutes throughout a match, especially when you are young. We are all human, and any moment can happen in a game, so the most important thing is simply to try to understand your players and give them support through positive words. So I supported them, thanked them for their effort and said that this game is not only about tactical work, not only about the players’ technical ability, but above all it is about who wants to win more today.
– Today matches are assessed by the scoreline and statistics, but for players everything is decided by feelings – the atmosphere in the dressing room and within the team. Which of these invisible elements was the key factor that helped you win in your opinion?
– I emphasised in the dressing room after the match that nothing has been decided yet. And although this victory is very important in the context of the title race, it does not guarantee anything for us at this stage. First of all, it is important to understand that the current champions of Ukraine are Dynamo Kyiv and we must respect that. At the same time, another incredible opponents who are chasing us – LNZ – are currently in second spot. Our today’s opponents, Polissia, as well as Metalist 1925, are also teams that can cause many problems over the course of the season. So nothing has been decided yet, a lot still lies ahead, and we must respect all opponents until the very last minute, until the final whistle of the last match of this Ukrainian Premier League season. Do you know when the best in Europe are determined – both on the European stage in general and in domestic leagues? It is in May. So it is too early to talk about any conclusions for the season. And do you know why Messi and Ronaldo were the greatest in history? Because they were the best all the time – not in a single match or month, but from game to game, from encounter to encounter, from whistle to whistle.