We’ll give everything on the pitch tomorrow
Tuesday, October 13, 2026
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Shakhtar midfielder Pedrinho answered journalists’ questions during the press conference ahead of the match against AEK
– I’m very happy to be here today. We’re preparing for an important game and want to give our all tomorrow. I’m convinced we’ll leave our hearts on the pitch.
– Congratulations on your return from injury! You recently congratulated Rinat Akhmetov on his birthday on behalf of the Brazilian players. Are you a role model for Shakhtar’s Brazilians and do they look up to you?
– Thank you very much for those words! It’s nice to know that I can be a role model. But it’s not just me – we have plenty of experienced players. I believe it’s very important for us to have more opportunities to play at the highest level because that way we can help everyone as much as possible. It’s also important to understand that we can help them off the pitch, so they can gain experience through us.
– After returning from injury, you immediately started scoring goals and providing assists. How did you manage to get back into good form so quickly and how are you feeling overall ahead of tomorrow’s match?
– Honestly, no footballer is ever completely happy when they’re not out on the pitch, so I’m very grateful to the head coach, who kept reassuring me that I’d be able to make a big contribution as soon as I returned. I’d like to thank him for that. It’s also important to remember that, although I’m very happy to be back, what would make me happiest of all is if we could win a trophy in any competition.
– As you know, Shakhtar have invited Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti to tomorrow’s match, so there’s a good chance he’ll be in attendance. How much extra motivation would that give you and all the Brazilian footballers?
– Of course, there’s no doubt that he’s a major figure in football. I believe every Brazilian player dreams of playing for the national team under his management. Having someone of his stature at the match is very important for us, and it will be a huge source of motivation for all of Shakhtar’s Brazilian footballers. As you know, we always attack – that’s our philosophy. We always look to go forward, and I can assure you that we’ll make every effort tomorrow and want to leave the pitch with all three points.
– How are you feeling ahead of tomorrow’s match, especially with the game taking place at Stamford Bridge? And what is the atmosphere like in the squad ahead of such an important fixture?
– The vast majority of footballers dream of days like these. We’ll be fully focused and do our best tomorrow to put into practice what we’ve been working on and deliver our best performance. For many, this will be their first opportunity to play at this level, so I’m sure it will be a source of inspiration for them. And we’ll give everything on the pitch.
– London is one of the world’s great footballing capitals. How do you view the opportunity for Shakhtar to play all their European matches this season in London?
– As I’ve already said, I’m very, very happy. Having the chance to play here and represent Shakhtar is a huge privilege for us. For us as footballers, it’s a childhood dream come true. We hope to win, as Shakhtar always should, and we’ll do everything we can to achieve that. We want to play in our own style and stick to our philosophy. I think we’ll leave the pitch tomorrow with all three points, while also delivering the highest standard of football we’re striving to produce.
– A question about your preparations specifically for AEK. On Saturday, AEK scored all three of their goals in the league match from corners, while in their first Champions League match, they scored from a free-kick. So, how much attention have you paid to defending set pieces?
– Yes, we’re aware of their individual and collective strengths. We know they’re not only good at set pieces but also in general play. We’ll try to neutralise their strengths. I can assure you that we’ve analysed the opposition thoroughly and worked on our tactical approach. Now it’s up to us to put that into practice on the pitch. As I said, we’ll give everything we can to make our fans happy. We know all about our opponents’ strengths and will aim to be as precise as possible.
– Congratulations on your return from injury! You recently congratulated Rinat Akhmetov on his birthday on behalf of the Brazilian players. Are you a role model for Shakhtar’s Brazilians and do they look up to you?
– Thank you very much for those words! It’s nice to know that I can be a role model. But it’s not just me – we have plenty of experienced players. I believe it’s very important for us to have more opportunities to play at the highest level because that way we can help everyone as much as possible. It’s also important to understand that we can help them off the pitch, so they can gain experience through us.
– After returning from injury, you immediately started scoring goals and providing assists. How did you manage to get back into good form so quickly and how are you feeling overall ahead of tomorrow’s match?
– Honestly, no footballer is ever completely happy when they’re not out on the pitch, so I’m very grateful to the head coach, who kept reassuring me that I’d be able to make a big contribution as soon as I returned. I’d like to thank him for that. It’s also important to remember that, although I’m very happy to be back, what would make me happiest of all is if we could win a trophy in any competition.
– As you know, Shakhtar have invited Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti to tomorrow’s match, so there’s a good chance he’ll be in attendance. How much extra motivation would that give you and all the Brazilian footballers?
– Of course, there’s no doubt that he’s a major figure in football. I believe every Brazilian player dreams of playing for the national team under his management. Having someone of his stature at the match is very important for us, and it will be a huge source of motivation for all of Shakhtar’s Brazilian footballers. As you know, we always attack – that’s our philosophy. We always look to go forward, and I can assure you that we’ll make every effort tomorrow and want to leave the pitch with all three points.
– How are you feeling ahead of tomorrow’s match, especially with the game taking place at Stamford Bridge? And what is the atmosphere like in the squad ahead of such an important fixture?
– The vast majority of footballers dream of days like these. We’ll be fully focused and do our best tomorrow to put into practice what we’ve been working on and deliver our best performance. For many, this will be their first opportunity to play at this level, so I’m sure it will be a source of inspiration for them. And we’ll give everything on the pitch.
– London is one of the world’s great footballing capitals. How do you view the opportunity for Shakhtar to play all their European matches this season in London?
– As I’ve already said, I’m very, very happy. Having the chance to play here and represent Shakhtar is a huge privilege for us. For us as footballers, it’s a childhood dream come true. We hope to win, as Shakhtar always should, and we’ll do everything we can to achieve that. We want to play in our own style and stick to our philosophy. I think we’ll leave the pitch tomorrow with all three points, while also delivering the highest standard of football we’re striving to produce.
– A question about your preparations specifically for AEK. On Saturday, AEK scored all three of their goals in the league match from corners, while in their first Champions League match, they scored from a free-kick. So, how much attention have you paid to defending set pieces?
– Yes, we’re aware of their individual and collective strengths. We know they’re not only good at set pieces but also in general play. We’ll try to neutralise their strengths. I can assure you that we’ve analysed the opposition thoroughly and worked on our tactical approach. Now it’s up to us to put that into practice on the pitch. As I said, we’ll give everything we can to make our fans happy. We know all about our opponents’ strengths and will aim to be as precise as possible.