We will not back down
Wednesday, April 8, 2026
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Press conference of Shakhtar head coach Arda Turan ahead of the first leg of the UEFA Conference League quarter-finals against AZ Alkmaar
– My deepest condolences to the family of Mircea Lucescu. He was a great teacher for me personally, as well as for Ukrainian and Turkish football. He was a very important figure for my country. What he taught, what he showed in football and the legacy he left will always stay with us.
As for the match, I would like to say the following: AZ Alkmaar are a very good team that play attractive football. The most dangerous opponents in football are teams with a playing culture, rather than those whose results are constantly inconsistent. AZ Alkmaar are exactly that. They can score in different ways, they like to dominate possession, and they have excellent footballers who play attractive football. Tomorrow we face very serious opponents. We must play on both sides – in defence and in attack. This is a quarter-final clash, and AZ Alkmaar are worthy opponents at this stage. We have great respect for our rivals and their playing culture, but we also know who we are – Shakhtar. Without hiding behind excuses, we will try to play well and do everything as best we can. We will not back down. I believe we are in for a good first leg of the quarter-finals tomorrow.
– We saw that Prosper picked up an injury and was unable to continue in the previous UPL match against Rukh. He is now here with the team, so are you counting on him and what is his condition?
– Obah is not in very good condition at the moment.
– After the matches against AZ Alkmaar, you have a very demanding fixture schedule in the UPL – first a title clash with LNZ, and then Polissia, who are also title contenders. How should priorities be set correctly in order to deliver results in both competitions? And will there be any rotation in the game against AZ Alkmaar tomorrow?
– At this moment, we cannot look that far ahead. We are only thinking about one match – the one tomorrow. It is a very important game for us, a huge challenge. And if we start focusing on anything else, they will beat us. So we are only looking at the next match.
– Can you say that Kraków is becoming more and more like your home?
– We have very good relations with everyone in Kraków and we are sincerely grateful to the Polish people, Poland and the residents of Kraków for hosting us here It is a very difficult situation, there is a war going on, and it is not only about missiles – our lives are full of restrictions. In a state of war, it is not always possible to go out onto the streets, there are some problems with travelling by bus and issues with crossing the border. Of course, there are also other things in life besides football, and we would like to bring a little happiness to those who remain in Ukraine.
– It is often said that the quarter-finals are the stage of European competitions where any team can win the trophy. Do you agree with that? And how do you assess Shakhtar’s strength?
– Our chances are the same as those of all the other teams.
As for the match, I would like to say the following: AZ Alkmaar are a very good team that play attractive football. The most dangerous opponents in football are teams with a playing culture, rather than those whose results are constantly inconsistent. AZ Alkmaar are exactly that. They can score in different ways, they like to dominate possession, and they have excellent footballers who play attractive football. Tomorrow we face very serious opponents. We must play on both sides – in defence and in attack. This is a quarter-final clash, and AZ Alkmaar are worthy opponents at this stage. We have great respect for our rivals and their playing culture, but we also know who we are – Shakhtar. Without hiding behind excuses, we will try to play well and do everything as best we can. We will not back down. I believe we are in for a good first leg of the quarter-finals tomorrow.
– We saw that Prosper picked up an injury and was unable to continue in the previous UPL match against Rukh. He is now here with the team, so are you counting on him and what is his condition?
– Obah is not in very good condition at the moment.
– After the matches against AZ Alkmaar, you have a very demanding fixture schedule in the UPL – first a title clash with LNZ, and then Polissia, who are also title contenders. How should priorities be set correctly in order to deliver results in both competitions? And will there be any rotation in the game against AZ Alkmaar tomorrow?
– At this moment, we cannot look that far ahead. We are only thinking about one match – the one tomorrow. It is a very important game for us, a huge challenge. And if we start focusing on anything else, they will beat us. So we are only looking at the next match.
– Can you say that Kraków is becoming more and more like your home?
– We have very good relations with everyone in Kraków and we are sincerely grateful to the Polish people, Poland and the residents of Kraków for hosting us here It is a very difficult situation, there is a war going on, and it is not only about missiles – our lives are full of restrictions. In a state of war, it is not always possible to go out onto the streets, there are some problems with travelling by bus and issues with crossing the border. Of course, there are also other things in life besides football, and we would like to bring a little happiness to those who remain in Ukraine.
– It is often said that the quarter-finals are the stage of European competitions where any team can win the trophy. Do you agree with that? And how do you assess Shakhtar’s strength?
– Our chances are the same as those of all the other teams.
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