It will be a tough match
Wednesday, March 11, 2026
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Press conference of Shakhtar head coach Arda Turan ahead of the UEFA Conference League Round of 16 first leg against Lech
– Tomorrow the whole stadium will be against you, so what kind of challenge will it be to face Lech and their fans?
– It will be a clash between teams with a similar football philosophy. I think it will be a good experience for us as we’ve missed the atmosphere of matches with supporters. We also want to return to a full competitive rhythm as soon as possible. For us, it will be a good test and a kind of exam.
– Can you name Lech’s main strengths?
– Lech have a good coach, that’s unquestionable. They are also the champions of their country, so we must be ready for a very difficult match. They have quality performers in their squad, including Ishak and other young footballers, as well as a well-organised defensive system. We know it will be a tough game, and my task is to prepare our players for it in the best possible way.
– What kind of game do you expect?
– We are a team that like to keep possession and try to play aggressively. Wherever we play, we want to be aggressive and dominate the match. It won’t be an easy game, and Lech are not easy opponents. But we will be ready to play in both halves of the pitch: if we need to defend, we will defend. It might be unusual for us if we don’t have 60–70 per cent possession tomorrow, but that is the reality of football. If you face Lech and play in front of 43,000 fans, you cannot play well for all 90 minutes. But you have to make the right decisions and be ready for difficult conditions tomorrow.
– What is the squad situation in your team? Is it true that Mykola Matviienko is injured? And what about the other players?
– Matviienko is a person and a footballer I value very highly. When he is on the pitch, the team feel more confident because he is one of our leaders. However, injuries are part of football. Perhaps if we had pushed Mykola’s recovery, we could have counted on him, but health comes first. Besides, Ukraine have a World Cup play-offs coming up soon, so it could harm both us and the national team. I hope Matviienko returns as soon as possible and fully fit. I should also say that I trust all my players and believe that tomorrow we will show that we are a strong team.
– It will be a clash between teams with a similar football philosophy. I think it will be a good experience for us as we’ve missed the atmosphere of matches with supporters. We also want to return to a full competitive rhythm as soon as possible. For us, it will be a good test and a kind of exam.
– Can you name Lech’s main strengths?
– Lech have a good coach, that’s unquestionable. They are also the champions of their country, so we must be ready for a very difficult match. They have quality performers in their squad, including Ishak and other young footballers, as well as a well-organised defensive system. We know it will be a tough game, and my task is to prepare our players for it in the best possible way.
– What kind of game do you expect?
– We are a team that like to keep possession and try to play aggressively. Wherever we play, we want to be aggressive and dominate the match. It won’t be an easy game, and Lech are not easy opponents. But we will be ready to play in both halves of the pitch: if we need to defend, we will defend. It might be unusual for us if we don’t have 60–70 per cent possession tomorrow, but that is the reality of football. If you face Lech and play in front of 43,000 fans, you cannot play well for all 90 minutes. But you have to make the right decisions and be ready for difficult conditions tomorrow.
– What is the squad situation in your team? Is it true that Mykola Matviienko is injured? And what about the other players?
– Matviienko is a person and a footballer I value very highly. When he is on the pitch, the team feel more confident because he is one of our leaders. However, injuries are part of football. Perhaps if we had pushed Mykola’s recovery, we could have counted on him, but health comes first. Besides, Ukraine have a World Cup play-offs coming up soon, so it could harm both us and the national team. I hope Matviienko returns as soon as possible and fully fit. I should also say that I trust all my players and believe that tomorrow we will show that we are a strong team.
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