It was incredible, a truly magical night!
Thursday, October 15, 2026
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Shakhtar midfielder Gleiker Mendoza’s emotions after the UEFA Champions League victory over AEK (3-1)
– Gleiker, it’s fair to say that this Champions League campaign is yours as you have scored in two consecutive matches. What does this mean to you?
– As I always say, first and foremost, I’m extremely grateful to God, my family, all my teammates and friends who have inspired me and encouraged me to get to where I am today. I’m very excited in the best possible way, and I dedicate this victory to everyone I have just mentioned. It’s difficult for me to find the words because this really is a magical night.
– How would you comment on the match itself?
– It was a really eventful and intense game, with plenty of difficult moments and the momentum shifting back and forth, sometimes in our favour and sometimes not. But Mister constantly reminds us that we are one family. And we truly believe in that. So I’m grateful to everyone who contributed to this victory. We will move forward.
– How did you manage to turn the game in your favour?
– I think it happened after Vinicius Tobias’s goal – that was the moment when the game definitively turned in our favour. But sometimes the scoreline can be quite misleading. It may make a victory look easy, even though that wasn’t the case. The game unfolded in very different ways: first we were behind, then we managed to equalise, and only towards the end of the match did we take the lead. So I can say that it was a very intense match. And, as I’ve already stressed, I’m glad that in the end everything worked out in our favour.
– Can you describe your goal and the celebration?
– Actually, it was a very similar situation to the one in the previous game: Isaque passed the ball to me, then I was able to carry it into space, cut inside and shoot into the far corner. In fact, this goal was very similar to the one I scored in the first Champions League match. Mister always emphasises that as many players as possible should get involved in the attacking phase at a big club like Shakhtar. As for the celebration, I dedicated it to my family, friends and everyone I mentioned at the beginning of the interview.
– Around 30,000 spectators were at Stamford Bridge this evening. Did you feel at home here? How warm was the support from our fans?
– It was incredible, a truly magical night! Yes, of course, we felt the support of our fans. They really drove us forward and helped us. We were all full of emotion and, most importantly, felt that emotional support right up until the final whistle. So this really was an incredible night. I’m grateful to everyone who found the time and opportunity to support us at the stadium today, as well as to everyone who cheered us on in front of their screens. Thank you all for your support! Together we will win!
– As I always say, first and foremost, I’m extremely grateful to God, my family, all my teammates and friends who have inspired me and encouraged me to get to where I am today. I’m very excited in the best possible way, and I dedicate this victory to everyone I have just mentioned. It’s difficult for me to find the words because this really is a magical night.
– How would you comment on the match itself?
– It was a really eventful and intense game, with plenty of difficult moments and the momentum shifting back and forth, sometimes in our favour and sometimes not. But Mister constantly reminds us that we are one family. And we truly believe in that. So I’m grateful to everyone who contributed to this victory. We will move forward.
– How did you manage to turn the game in your favour?
– I think it happened after Vinicius Tobias’s goal – that was the moment when the game definitively turned in our favour. But sometimes the scoreline can be quite misleading. It may make a victory look easy, even though that wasn’t the case. The game unfolded in very different ways: first we were behind, then we managed to equalise, and only towards the end of the match did we take the lead. So I can say that it was a very intense match. And, as I’ve already stressed, I’m glad that in the end everything worked out in our favour.
– Can you describe your goal and the celebration?
– Actually, it was a very similar situation to the one in the previous game: Isaque passed the ball to me, then I was able to carry it into space, cut inside and shoot into the far corner. In fact, this goal was very similar to the one I scored in the first Champions League match. Mister always emphasises that as many players as possible should get involved in the attacking phase at a big club like Shakhtar. As for the celebration, I dedicated it to my family, friends and everyone I mentioned at the beginning of the interview.
– Around 30,000 spectators were at Stamford Bridge this evening. Did you feel at home here? How warm was the support from our fans?
– It was incredible, a truly magical night! Yes, of course, we felt the support of our fans. They really drove us forward and helped us. We were all full of emotion and, most importantly, felt that emotional support right up until the final whistle. So this really was an incredible night. I’m grateful to everyone who found the time and opportunity to support us at the stadium today, as well as to everyone who cheered us on in front of their screens. Thank you all for your support! Together we will win!