I can’t put my emotions into words

– Gleiker, this was your Champions League debut, and you immediately scored your first goal in the competition. How would you describe your emotions after such a special, yet difficult evening for the team?
– I’m very excited, and indeed, my emotions are running high inside. But I thank God for this opportunity and my family for being there and always supporting me. I’m also extremely grateful to the coaching staff led by Arda Turan for giving me the chance to make my debut. I can’t put my emotions into words, but I’ll say just one thing: we definitely want to keep moving forward and achieve even better results in the future.

– Do you remember the moment itself? How did you manage to find the space and score such a beautiful goal?
– It all started with Marlon winning the ball in the centre of the pitch and then playing it out wide to Isaque, who carried the ball forward before passing it to me. Mister always emphasises that we should attack the half-spaces between the lines of the opposition’s defensive shape as often as possible, and that we should always try to carry the ball forward, avoiding passes backwards. In the specific situation leading to my goal, I saw that the opponent was trying to play me one-on-one, and at the same time I was waiting for the moment to take my shot. I tried to get the timing right, and I’m glad I managed to do so.

– PSV put Shakhtar under serious pressure. What was the most difficult thing for you about playing against such opponents?
– The most difficult thing in these kinds of games is playing without the ball. You constantly have to defend, and that’s always difficult. However, I’m glad we managed to maintain the rhythm of the game in our favour, and I’m grateful to my teammates for the effort they put in to make that happen. The most important thing is that we continue at this pace and also keep picking up points in the overall standings.

– As already mentioned, this is your first Champions League game. What did it tell you about the level of the competition and what do you personally still need to improve?
– I think the scale and stature of this competition are no secret to anyone, and many of us had the opportunity to make our debuts today. Of course, I need to improve and gain more experience of this kind, and I’m sure it will come with time – with every minute played at this level. Perhaps the most important thing I would highlight is adapting to the pace of these encounters because it is simply incredible. At the same time, you gain more confidence, which is definitely necessary for games of this magnitude. I’m convinced that we’ll manage to achieve this, and we’ll prepare in the best possible way for our next fixtures, doing everything we can.