This season will be more difficult

– Mister, thank you for taking the time to speak with us before the evening training session begins. Let's talk about the last season and the team's future. The 2025/26 season was your first as Shakhtar's head coach and it was full of memorable moments and important achievements. What do you think was the main secret behind the team's success?
– I think the most important point was that what we said and what we did matched. We had our “One team, one family” motto and we really lived by it last season. Whether they played or not, everyone showed a real team image, and we were loyal to the tactics and our system. We trained very well throughout the season. I can only say that the boys did everything possible and I thank them for that. It was an excellent season. More than anything, we played this game correctly and beautifully, and that gave us hope for the future. An even more difficult process awaits us now, but as for the last season, I can only say thank you and that I'm grateful to my players.

– One year ago, you met the team for the first time here in Slovenia, where we are again today. How have you changed as a coach and as a person, and what can you say about the team's progress under your leadership?
– As a head coach, I think that I know better now what to ask of the players and how to do it. I believe that the players and I understand each other better now. Sometimes long speeches or talks are not needed – even the looks we exchange are enough to communicate what we want. We have an emotional connection. Before they are players, they are brothers to me. We have a very good friendship and bond, but of course, they should always be loyal to the team and the system first. And if you want me to put it bluntly, these are the things I would never forgive in the team: mistakes about the team spirit and the system. In life and in their relationships with the people, I'm always willing to help them improve when they make mistakes. So as a head coach, I believe I’ve changed in that way. I also realised there are things in our system that we can improve and do better. As a person, I don't think I've changed much. I'm still someone who acts on his emotions. But looking beyond the team, Ukraine reminded me of what's truly important in life. Over the past year, I've learned a lot from you, from your families and from the children of Ukraine. And I can say that I'm now less of a radical person and more of a calm one.

– You just mentioned the Ukrainian people. Over the past year, you saw a lot of soldiers, families and Ukrainian children. What has impressed you the most about Ukraine and its people?
– There is something I always say: I have never seen anything like this in my life. People are being bombed throughout the night and go to work or school the next morning. They go for a coffee at cafes after drone attacks. That shows incredible mental strength. Of course, along with the positives, there are negative sides as well. No matter where I am in the world, I will always say that this war still goes on because there is nothing worse than children dying in war. I will do everything I can to help stop this or even reduce it to some extent. So the mentality you show is remarkable, and so is loyalty to your country. I see the same loyalty in my own country, which is why it always impresses me. Whenever this subject opens up, I get very emotional because I believe children should smile. They need to play. I deeply respect and understand your power and your resilience in these wartime conditions, but I never accept this being normalised. That's why, no matter where I am, I will always raise a voice about this. I will always speak out and say that there is still a war in Ukraine and that children are still dying because of it.

– Unfortunately, the team continue to work during the war, and last season was an intense one regarding Europe. We were eliminated from the Europe League, dropped into the Conference League and eventually reached the historic semi-finals. What does this journey mean to you?
– Of course, it was an excellent experience. I believe that it cannot be described in words and I think no one will ever be able to match this experience because we had 20 European games during the season. We had many important moments. We learned to trust each other, and what we did wasn’t rotation as we had a different level in almost every game. That was only possible because we trusted each other and had a sense of family and responsibility. If we weren't together and didn't have this sense of family, I don't think this journey would have been possible. That's why I believe it was a very important experience for us. Of course, it was a great success anyway, but sometimes, when I think about it at night, I dream that we could have won the trophy. I think we could have believed more in getting through the tie against Crystal Palace, and I think we could have won that tie. If we played it today, I think things would be different because sometimes life requires experience, and that was a lesson we took out from this encounter. I know that our players are very sad, but we are very hopeful for the future. Last season in Europe made us dream about the future even more and we will go on with this sense. It showed us how it could be possible, and it was only possible because we trusted each other. It also showed us that it wasn't possible just thanks to 11 players or one head coach, but thanks to the entire staff, all the 25 players, our manager, CEO, director, president – everyone. Of course, we saw that even if one piece was missing from the picture, we could fail, and our entire European campaign proved that.

– Of course, we saw a lot of great games during this European campaign, but which match do you think best showed your team’s true potential?
– There are many games, of course. I can name the away game against Panathinaikos, the second game against Servette. There was a very impressive comeback there. Also the away game against Lech Poznań and the home game against AZ Alkmaar. In many matches, the lads played very well. Sometimes we had difficulties finding negative videos to show them after the games. They fought very well. They did a good job. But still, I think the first half against Crystal Palace was the one that showed the most potential. Maybe it's because I have this trauma, but I'm still at this point. We showed great potential in terms of the level of play, but we couldn't get the result. That's why I’m still very sad about it.

– We know that the most painful moment for you and the whole team was the Conference League semi-final defeat. How did you lift the team mentally after that?
– We were able to raise back again in terms of motivation because we were not the losing side. We were the side that reached the semi-finals in Europe despite the conditions of war and we were the team that gave hope to people and children. We also saw that if you play this game beautifully, if you play it correctly, you can fight against any team under any circumstances. That's why we changed our perspective. Rather than looking at ourselves as the losing side, we saw that this gave us hope for the future. Sometimes football is not about the score or the result, it's about your behaviour and that can give you hope. We also knew that we had given everything on the pitch. It's sport, and you can't always win. Sometimes we lose, but we knew that we had done everything we could to win. That's why I'm proud of my players and that's why we were able to raise back and continue. We had no doubts in our hearts or our conscience that we had given everything we had to win.

– But life is a very interesting thing because the team won the Ukrainian Premier League just a few days later. What did you feel at that moment?
– When I had my first meeting with Darijo and Mr Palkin in London, I asked them what their dream was, and they told me it was to win the UPL title again. Of course, it was a dream for me as well. It had another side because I became the first Turkish coach to win a title in a European league. It was an excellent emotion. I don't have the words to describe it. We don't even have a home pitch where we can play before 20,000 or 30,000 fans. Sometimes we make 600 or 700 passes and have 40 touches in the opponent's box, but we can’t feel it because football is difficult to play without the fans. When you are down, when your power is over, sometimes they can provide 80 or 90 per cent of it. That's why I mentioned the away games in Europe earlier because I know people want to see us and support us. But it's a very different thing to play in front of 40,000 or 50,000 people because it's entertainment. And honestly, we had never had this chance. I know that this was a dream to win this title and I understand my players very well. I know what it took to win this title and what kind of moments we had in the dressing room going there. I can understand their mentality because, for instance, I don't even have an office. I don't have a desk where I can put photos of my children. So imagine how this would affect the players' sense of responsibility. Despite these conditions, they still have great sense of commitment to Shakhtar and they always give everything when they play. I will never forget the emotions this title brought me. And for me, as a young coach, I think it has been a pioneering journey.

– The team had a lot of interesting games in the Ukrainian Premier League, but the matches with Dynamo always have special meaning for all Shakhtar fans, for the whole team. You faced with Dynamo three times last year. How would you rate those games?
– We have great respect for Dynamo. They have an excellent football culture, and showing them respect, respecting such big clubs, means competing well against them. And we did so. All three games were very challenging, and I believe we dominated them all. Unfortunately, we couldn't get the result in one of them, the Ukrainian Cup game. But I can say we had one of our best first 60 minutes in that match. When you’re playing against such big teams, you should also play the moments right. That's why we took many important lessons from this game. We really discussed it, talked about it with the players. We did not play so well sometimes, but we fought better in those moments. That Cup game was a good slap in our face, but I’m very happy with the level of fight we showed afterwards. When you’re playing against such big teams, you should always give everything you have.

– You have been working with Shakhtar in Ukraine for a year now. What is your overall impression from Ukrainian football and its infrastructure?
– The first thing I saw is that there is an excellent tactical level in the league. I really appreciate the coaches, the way players are adapting. It also helps me improve because all team have different playing styles and you need to take the appropriate precautions against them. You need to find different solutions. So I can say that Ukrainian football is going very well in terms of tactics. The stadiums are being renovated. It is not easy to stand up during the war conditions, and I know that, but I think Ukrainian football, particularly from a tactical point of view, is doing pretty well. It is very difficult to increase the quality of the foreign players because it is difficult to bring footballers in under the conditions of war. Thanks to the coaches, the players, and their efforts, I think Ukrainian football shows a very impressive image and I really bow my head for respect for them.

– This season saw a historic moment for the whole club because Shakhtar president Rinat Akhmetov attended a few games at the stadium. How important is his support for you, the team and the club?
– I said this back then as well. A family isn't complete without its leaders. And when Mr Akhmetov came to that game, we felt this sense of completeness and we always want to have that. Of course, you need to give the performances to bring him to the games. We know that, no matter what, he is always with us. But when I first met him in person, there were a couple of moments that really impressed me. First, the way he is so emotional about Donetsk was very impressive. Also, it was one of the most surprising experiences of my life. You can be a football club president without having a deep technical or tactical understanding of the game. You can love it. But the way he knows football so well really impressed me because he can talk about it like a head coach. He can discuss the details of the game. Why am I saying all this? Because if we are talking about our president, we need to feel his emotions and his heart. For instance, when I consulted him about some decisions I needed to make about some players, he responded very emotionally. Seeing the head of the club focus on the human side, on the emotional side, was very impressive. I think Mr Akhmetov is a very good president, a very good person, and he has a very kind heart. We love him. Darijo has said the same thing as well. When someone is like that, you also want to do things for him. So this season we need to create the same moments as we did last season. I can’t promise results, but I can say that we will show the level of play that will make him and this country proud. He touched us. He opened his heart to us. That's why I would like to say thank you. We have a very good president and I love him.

– This autumn marks 30 years since Rinat Akhmetov became president of Shakhtar. How would you describe his role in the club's development? What have you seen during this year?
– There is one fact that Mr. Akhmetov as president is an essential component of this club. He is like a keystone of the club and not only for Ukrainian football. I think for the world football, Shakhtar stands as an example in terms of organisation: the way the club looks for talents in South America, in Brazil, invests in them, and then brings them together with Ukrainian footballers, making this mix of culture. Also, I think Shakhtar are one of the teams trying to play this game in the best way in Eastern Europe. I believe it is similar to Barcelona in this respect. I was also there, so I can feel it. I think there is nothing more beautiful for a football club to have a football culture. On behalf of football, I would like to say thank you to Mr President for ensuring this for the 30 years he has been here. Despite the conditions of war, we have an excellent organisation. Everything is complete for us. We have nothing missing. Everything is done day by day here. So I believe that people who live through their emotions are always special and they are always happy. And our president is also like that. And with Shakhtar, I think that he has this feeling of emotional completeness.

– During the 2025/26 season, you gave a lot of opportunities to every player. Why is that so important to you? Why did you decide to give each of them a chance?
– Honestly, the schedule, as well as the trips pushed us to do that. But on the other hand it's also part of our club culture. We bring new young players, we have to trust them. If we say that we trust them, we should also show it through our actions. I believe we understand these footballers better now and know where and when to use them. But honestly, this year might be a little bit different with the UEFA Champions League schedule. Some players might have more load on them and we might be more focused on performance. But they should be able to face this truth as well. Because in football, this is also a reality. Some of them might be more on the bench, might have less minutes. So they should be mentally ready for this. And also, if one of my players is on the bench or in the stands, it doesn't mean that he is worse than the others. It can be because of tactics or because another player is in better form. I always say that a coach's justice does not only based on their performance. It also relies on the opponents, the time of the game, whether the pitch is dry or wet, the following match, the travel schedule, the feedback we had for the previous meeting or the team analysis. So a head coach’s decisions can depend on all these factors. The players' job is to train and give their best. For instance, this year, we have four or five options on both the left wing and the right wing. It is not possible for us to play with all these footballers. But it doesn't mean that one of them is better than another. They should all keep working. This season will be more difficult psychologically. And that's why we have now two psychologists with us.

– Do you enjoy working with psychologists?
– It's a very important department. We need to respect science. And I really believe in their support for myself and my players' development. I think it's very important. Actually, we just had a meeting with them. We discussed their recommendations and support. I really believe that it's a very important department.

– Last summer, Kevin and Sudakov left the club. Which current player do you think is ready to make the next step and to join a top European club?
– It's very difficult for me to single out just one player at the moment. I believe 20 players could play for top European clubs right now. They have great potential. We believe in them. And we believe they are very valuable to us. That's why they are here with us. If you wonder so much, you can ask Darijo Srna or Serhii Palkin about this. And if you wonder about your own future, Bondar is with me. He can play for any European club. But he will be with me to play here in our team.

– And we are happy about that.
– Konoplia also left for an important European club. He had great potential. It's not easy for a player to perform under such a difficult circumstances. But he did a great job and was very successful here. I believe he will be successful there as well. We love him. We would like to say thank you for him as well, just like Kevin and Sudakov. And he will always have a place in my heart.

– At this training camp, we have seen several U19 players. Kanteh has also signed a new contract, and the club continues to promote young players from the Academy. How important is it for you to give all our young footballers a chance in the senior team?
– We have very good Academy teams. We have a very good U19 coach. They won the title. They had great success. At this training camp, Smetana and Tsukanov are with us. Viktor Tsukanov played on this level before. I wanted to see him again here. They both have great potential. The same goes for Kanteh. He did an excellent job last season. We are following him closely. But currently, we have Traore, Elias, Eguinaldo and Meirelles in our squad. And for a player at this age, the most important thing is to be able to play. That's why Kanteh isn't here. He did an excellent job and was very successful. We can see that. But the fact that we can't use him right now is the reason he isn't here. As I said, Tsukanov and Smetana are among them. I wanted to see them once again to assess their actual form. This year, we will have our U21 team. We also will have our youth team in the Champions League. So we may also use some of the players who are not getting many minutes in those teams. We will always have good communication with our Academy. And the most important objective for all of us is that the footballers at this age should be playing. That's the most important task for all of us

– I would like to talk about the new signings: Mendoza, Karavaiev, Bruninho and Ryan. Can you share your thoughts on these players? And what do you think they can bring to Shakhtar right now?
– As for Karavaiev, he is a legend. We have Tobias and Giorgi there as well. Karavaiev makes excellent decisions in the third zone. He plays the game correctly and has a great experience. We really have great respect for him. He also has a history with Shakhtar. He was already part of this family. That's why we really respect his experience and potential. As for Mendoza, he is a very strong player with a good shot. He did an excellent job at Kryvbas last year. However, he needs to play differently here because Shakhtar are on a different level. He needs to defend more. He needs to take better decisions. He has excellent potential and we really trust him. I believe that he will do even better here than in his previous team. He will help us win titles and trophies. As for Bruninho and Ryan, they are two young footballers with great potential who play on opposite sides of the pitch on their stronger foot. They also have an excellent future. But there are a lot of players in these two positions right now, so we shouldn't rush about them. We need to search for the right moment to play them. Just like Isaque, Ferreira and Meirelles, we need to look at their improvement in a slow fashion. We shouldn't rush their progress. We signed players that we really wanted and really like. I believe they will have an excellent future with Shakhtar. As for Karavaiev, perhaps we can't say it will be for many years. But still, I believe we will do an excellent job together. We really respect him. As for the young players in particular, they should understand the game and play it correctly. Of course, they can already play football very well. But the more important part is understanding it and playing it the right way.

– Did you immediately like Mendoza after he scored four goals against Dynamo?
– No, he was already on our list before the game against Dynamo. We were evaluating him because we had no doubts about the way he was in offence. But when he arrived, I talked to him about Ousmane Dembélé. It was a very good example for him. He has always been an excellent player. But in football now, the decisions and the first touch are the two things that change games. They are also the two things that create differences between players. So we just wanted to check his improvement in these areas. And I gave him the example of Dembélé – Dembélé at Barcelona and Dembélé at Paris Saint-Germain. He always had the potential to be one of the greatest players in the world. In the end, he fulfilled that potential. A player who can score four goals against Dynamo can do anything anywhere in the world. But football first requires defending and making good decisions, fighting for the team. That's why we wanted to evaluate him.

– So I know that you don't like these questions, but I have to ask you: should we expect any more new transfers this summer?
– This is not my job.

– But you know everything about this too.
– I like to talk about my own job.

– A year ago, you said that for a team like Shakhtar, it wasn’t normal to play the competitive games so early. This year, Shakhtar will begin their Champions League campaign in September. How does that change your ambitions?
– There is something about football: defending titles is more difficult than winning them. We should be here in this position when we start the season, but we should be here in this position every year. That's why we are ready to give everything we have to be here at the start of every season. Next year, we will try to defend our UPL title and we want to be in the Champions League every year. We know how we got here. We worked very hard. We worked hard with our nails, with our fingers, as we say it in Turkish. That's why I'm proud of my players. We fought for every moment that brought us here. We have to continue in the same way. And I want to underline it once again: defending titles is more difficult than winning them.

– Which possible Champions League opponents would you most like to face?
– Of course, I would love to face the former teams I played for because I like such emotional stories in football. I played for Galatasaray, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, and if we face them, we would have emotional stories like that that I mentioned. I like experiencing those kinds of moments. Of course, those would be very difficult games because we are not in the same conditions and we have different dreams, but I'm sure those would be enjoyable matches. I would also love to face Paris Saint-Germain because Luis Enrique was my former coach. Of course, it would be a very difficult game for us, but I would love to have this experience.

– What are your main goals for the new season in Champions League, Ukrainian Premier League and Ukrainian Cup?
– We want to win the Cup. We want to defend the title in the Ukrainian Premier League. Honestly, finishing the Champions League league phase in the top 24 is a dream for us and we will give everything for this dream. It's a big one because we are at war. We don't have a stadium that we can call our home ground and we will have long trips. We will not hide behind excuses and try to achieve this dream. We want our fans to watch Champions League games in January, and we will give everything for that.

– And now I have a few personal questions for you. If you could go back to your first day at Shakhtar, what advice would you give yourself?
– It's a tough question. Actually, I have never thought about this. I’m pretty satisfied with where I am and with my current position. I've heard a lot of advice up to this point. I'm not in a position to give advice or ask for it. Maybe this would be a better question for Okan Can because giving advice and making recommendations are for the consultants.

– What kind of team would you like Shakhtar to be in one year?
– A team that have achieved their dream in the Champions League and gone even further. A team that have defended their league title and added a new one by winning the Ukrainian Cup. But more than anything, a team that play better, with better automatism and mechanism. And a team that not only enjoy the part of the game with goals or assists but also enjoy defending, corner kicks, set pieces, the last moments of the game. A team that enjoy playing the game regardless of who starts and who comes on as a substitute. A team that embrace the sacrifices the game demands. And a team where everyone loves one another in a competitive environment and treats each other like brothers. That's what I want.