We've missed our fans and can't wait to see them at the stadium
Friday, July 31, 2026
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Shakhtar midfielder Yehor Nazaryna spoke about the team's readiness for the first match and shared his expectations for the new season
– Yehor, the training camp is over. Could you share your thoughts on how it went and how ready the team are for the new season?
– The training camp was very intense. We worked hard, did a lot of running and built a solid foundation for the season. We understand that this campaign will be even tougher than the last one, so we prepared very seriously. How ready we are will become clear in our first competitive match. At the same time, I believe there's still room for improvement, both physically and mentally. But we have time, and we'll keep getting better.
– Did anything surprise during the summer camp?
– I wouldn't say anything really surprised me. This was our third training camp under Arda Turan, so I know his expectations and his approach very well. The only unusual thing was our final friendly. We faced very strong opponents in an atmosphere that felt like a Champions League match: a full stadium with almost 45,000 fans supporting the home side. I think the coaching staff deliberately gave us that experience to prepare us for Champions League matches, where we'll be playing in similar atmospheres. It was really interesting to experience that pressure and play in those conditions.
– The Ukrainian Premier League gets under way on August 3 with a match against Kudrivka. What are your expectations?
– First and foremost, I'm hoping for a good performance from us and a positive result. The start of the season is always very important, so we want to begin the league campaign with a win and take our first three points. We've also missed our fans and can't wait to see them at the stadium.
– What goals have you set yourself for the new season?
– Personally, I want to help Shakhtar as much as possible with my performances. But for me, the team's objectives always come first. Our main goal is to win the Ukrainian Premier League. We also have the Champions League ahead of us, where we want to reach the knockout stage and go as far as possible. And, of course, there's the Ukrainian Cup. We didn't manage to win it last season, so this year we'll do everything we can to bring the trophy home.
– The training camp was very intense. We worked hard, did a lot of running and built a solid foundation for the season. We understand that this campaign will be even tougher than the last one, so we prepared very seriously. How ready we are will become clear in our first competitive match. At the same time, I believe there's still room for improvement, both physically and mentally. But we have time, and we'll keep getting better.
– Did anything surprise during the summer camp?
– I wouldn't say anything really surprised me. This was our third training camp under Arda Turan, so I know his expectations and his approach very well. The only unusual thing was our final friendly. We faced very strong opponents in an atmosphere that felt like a Champions League match: a full stadium with almost 45,000 fans supporting the home side. I think the coaching staff deliberately gave us that experience to prepare us for Champions League matches, where we'll be playing in similar atmospheres. It was really interesting to experience that pressure and play in those conditions.
– The Ukrainian Premier League gets under way on August 3 with a match against Kudrivka. What are your expectations?
– First and foremost, I'm hoping for a good performance from us and a positive result. The start of the season is always very important, so we want to begin the league campaign with a win and take our first three points. We've also missed our fans and can't wait to see them at the stadium.
– What goals have you set yourself for the new season?
– Personally, I want to help Shakhtar as much as possible with my performances. But for me, the team's objectives always come first. Our main goal is to win the Ukrainian Premier League. We also have the Champions League ahead of us, where we want to reach the knockout stage and go as far as possible. And, of course, there's the Ukrainian Cup. We didn't manage to win it last season, so this year we'll do everything we can to bring the trophy home.