We will fight until the end
Wednesday, May 6, 2026
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Press conference of Shakhtar head coach Arda Turan ahead of the UEFA Conference League return leg against Crystal Palace
– We are expecting a tough game. It will be very hard to reach the final from the position we found ourselves in after the first leg. However, if there is belief and hope, we must follow them. We have very strong opponents who plays their own system and have an excellent coach. I previously said I was satisfied with the level of performance we showed in the first match, and now we will work only on small details. We received a very good lesson in that game. We are a team that will play in the Champions League in two or three months, and we have a dream of reaching the Conference League final – and we are not giving up on that dream. It matches our European ambitions. If we do not succeed, I will still be proud of my team, as they have brought Ukrainian audiences and fans closer to European football.
– You have built a team with a certain model that win battles in very uncomfortable conditions, as every match is played away from home. What do you feel about it?
– A lot of positive things have been said about Shakhtar. First of all, when I arrived, I was told there is a group of Brazilians and a group of Ukrainians. But if we want to see each other as a family, I do not need 11 players – I told them I need a unified team, and you will all play 25–30 matches over time. I emphasised to them how important it is to fight for one another. Now, if you look at it, remember Koke, Arda, Gabi – they were not particularly special performers when they began their football journey at Atlético Madrid, but you cannot carry only your status as a player when you become a coach. That Atlético team beat Barcelona and Real Madrid, with many star players, and they won La Liga while competing against those giants. The opposition had stars like Ronaldo or Marcelo, yet Tiago, Filipe Luís and Koke simply shut down the left side of the pitch. I told the players: if you can fight, you can achieve any goal. When we wake up at seven in the morning and start training, it all leads to us fighting in every match. You cannot always play beautifully, but there is no reason not to fight until the end. I always speak about Ukrainians, about how they endure shelling at night and still continue living their normal lives, so we have no excuses in football. After the first match, I think I learned a lot from the opponents, and, using chess terminology, we were checkmated. They got their result, but we also showed a decent performance, even though we could not achieve the result. Crystal Palace played at their level and were always ready to take advantage of any chance. We had 70 per cent possession, but our opponents have a clear system and play like this against Manchester United, Arsenal or Manchester City. They have a very special coach, and we were truly checkmated in the first match. I have great respect for Glasner and I’m glad to have the opportunity to face him and this challenge. I enjoy learning when I’m up against an opponent like Glasner.
– We would like to wish you the best of luck and congratulate you as you have already taken a step towards winning the Ukrainian Premier League. Despite the defeat in the first match, we would like to hear your thoughts on the second leg. You mentioned that, looking at the statistics after the first meeting, Shakhtar had better figures. I believe football always loves stories, and you once played at Stamford Bridge in London against Chelsea for Atlético as a player.
– Things did not look so positive for Atlético when we faced Chelsea. We will try to achieve a better result and tomorrow I expect a difficult game. I expect Crystal Palace to be more aggressive and intense in attack because they were a bit more patient in the first match. We may not have as much possession – they will of course attack, but we cannot give up the style we show. This is a historic experience for us; we are trying to build Shakhtar’s future. Maybe I’m not Guardiola or Enrique, but I always want to stick to the same style of play, regardless of the opponents. We will face strong opponents tomorrow, but we will try to show our game and achieve the required result.
– If Shakhtar manage to get past Crystal Palace, would that be the biggest achievement of your coaching career?
– I believe we have other achievements. For example, we are bombed at night and still go out to train in the morning. There are far more important stories. I have a photo on my phone of me covering Isaque with a blanket in a hotel room. The biggest achievement in a career can change every day. At the same time, I think playing at this level in London, with so many people coming to watch us, is an incredible achievement for our team. There are things that are sometimes more important than victories or reaching a final.
– I want you to stop being modest. How do you define success? Do you think it is in any way possible to win away after a 16-hour journey? Of course, you are almost Ukrainian champions, but what is success for Arda Turan?
– If we cannot go through this round, then of course it will not be a success, at least from my point of view. In the eyes of the club, for my players and for me as a coach, it is certainly important, but we must always give our maximum effort. If my team lose, it is not success. If we have a small chance, we must pursue it – why not? I know it is not very realistic after the first-leg defeat, but we will try and take our chance. If you ask about success, right now we have the chance to qualify directly for the Champions League, and that is a huge success for me and the players. We can qualify directly for the Champions League, and perhaps Ukraine will have four teams playing in Europe next season. And for that, there should be great credit to Shakhtar for maintaining the level of success we are showing.
– You have built a team with a certain model that win battles in very uncomfortable conditions, as every match is played away from home. What do you feel about it?
– A lot of positive things have been said about Shakhtar. First of all, when I arrived, I was told there is a group of Brazilians and a group of Ukrainians. But if we want to see each other as a family, I do not need 11 players – I told them I need a unified team, and you will all play 25–30 matches over time. I emphasised to them how important it is to fight for one another. Now, if you look at it, remember Koke, Arda, Gabi – they were not particularly special performers when they began their football journey at Atlético Madrid, but you cannot carry only your status as a player when you become a coach. That Atlético team beat Barcelona and Real Madrid, with many star players, and they won La Liga while competing against those giants. The opposition had stars like Ronaldo or Marcelo, yet Tiago, Filipe Luís and Koke simply shut down the left side of the pitch. I told the players: if you can fight, you can achieve any goal. When we wake up at seven in the morning and start training, it all leads to us fighting in every match. You cannot always play beautifully, but there is no reason not to fight until the end. I always speak about Ukrainians, about how they endure shelling at night and still continue living their normal lives, so we have no excuses in football. After the first match, I think I learned a lot from the opponents, and, using chess terminology, we were checkmated. They got their result, but we also showed a decent performance, even though we could not achieve the result. Crystal Palace played at their level and were always ready to take advantage of any chance. We had 70 per cent possession, but our opponents have a clear system and play like this against Manchester United, Arsenal or Manchester City. They have a very special coach, and we were truly checkmated in the first match. I have great respect for Glasner and I’m glad to have the opportunity to face him and this challenge. I enjoy learning when I’m up against an opponent like Glasner.
– We would like to wish you the best of luck and congratulate you as you have already taken a step towards winning the Ukrainian Premier League. Despite the defeat in the first match, we would like to hear your thoughts on the second leg. You mentioned that, looking at the statistics after the first meeting, Shakhtar had better figures. I believe football always loves stories, and you once played at Stamford Bridge in London against Chelsea for Atlético as a player.
– Things did not look so positive for Atlético when we faced Chelsea. We will try to achieve a better result and tomorrow I expect a difficult game. I expect Crystal Palace to be more aggressive and intense in attack because they were a bit more patient in the first match. We may not have as much possession – they will of course attack, but we cannot give up the style we show. This is a historic experience for us; we are trying to build Shakhtar’s future. Maybe I’m not Guardiola or Enrique, but I always want to stick to the same style of play, regardless of the opponents. We will face strong opponents tomorrow, but we will try to show our game and achieve the required result.
– If Shakhtar manage to get past Crystal Palace, would that be the biggest achievement of your coaching career?
– I believe we have other achievements. For example, we are bombed at night and still go out to train in the morning. There are far more important stories. I have a photo on my phone of me covering Isaque with a blanket in a hotel room. The biggest achievement in a career can change every day. At the same time, I think playing at this level in London, with so many people coming to watch us, is an incredible achievement for our team. There are things that are sometimes more important than victories or reaching a final.
– I want you to stop being modest. How do you define success? Do you think it is in any way possible to win away after a 16-hour journey? Of course, you are almost Ukrainian champions, but what is success for Arda Turan?
– If we cannot go through this round, then of course it will not be a success, at least from my point of view. In the eyes of the club, for my players and for me as a coach, it is certainly important, but we must always give our maximum effort. If my team lose, it is not success. If we have a small chance, we must pursue it – why not? I know it is not very realistic after the first-leg defeat, but we will try and take our chance. If you ask about success, right now we have the chance to qualify directly for the Champions League, and that is a huge success for me and the players. We can qualify directly for the Champions League, and perhaps Ukraine will have four teams playing in Europe next season. And for that, there should be great credit to Shakhtar for maintaining the level of success we are showing.