We showed a performance worthy of the Champions League
Friday, September 11, 2026
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Shakhtar goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk reflects on the UEFA Champions League match against PSV (1-1)
– Dmytro, it was a hard-fought draw. PSV put Shakhtar under serious pressure at times, but we managed to share the points. Is this a good result for us? And what was the most difficult thing for you?
– For us, 1-1 is a bit of a mixed feeling. We showed a good performance, which I believe was worthy of the Champions League, everyone was as one. As for whether it’s a positive result for us or not… Of course, Shakhtar are a big club that always play to win. But we got a draw, one point in the standings, so, as they say, one point is still a point. We’ll keep moving forward and look ahead to the next games.
– Shakhtar went into the break in front, but PSV scored right at the start of the second half. What do you think happened in that situation?
– At such a high level, you can’t afford to take too long to get into the game. At this level, you are always punished quickly for your mistakes. There are no insignificant things in football, so perhaps we were a little lacking in concentration. We’ll look at it in the analysis. Small details matter in football, so we need to be more attentive.
– In the second half, PSV forced Shakhtar to defend. How difficult was it to maintain that focus and organisation?
– Well, about defending… As I said, in my opinion, we showed a good performance, a performance worthy of the Champions League, so I wouldn’t say we were simply under siege. We had our tactics and our game plan to follow, and all the lads did a great job – they fought for each other. So I think we accomplished what we set out to do.
– How important is this result? And what does it say about the team’s level at the moment?
– In terms of our performance, we played good football and are taking one point home, so nothing changes for us. There are still seven games to play, so we’ll focus on the other games. Perhaps this very point will prove decisive for us after the eighth matchday.
– For us, 1-1 is a bit of a mixed feeling. We showed a good performance, which I believe was worthy of the Champions League, everyone was as one. As for whether it’s a positive result for us or not… Of course, Shakhtar are a big club that always play to win. But we got a draw, one point in the standings, so, as they say, one point is still a point. We’ll keep moving forward and look ahead to the next games.
– Shakhtar went into the break in front, but PSV scored right at the start of the second half. What do you think happened in that situation?
– At such a high level, you can’t afford to take too long to get into the game. At this level, you are always punished quickly for your mistakes. There are no insignificant things in football, so perhaps we were a little lacking in concentration. We’ll look at it in the analysis. Small details matter in football, so we need to be more attentive.
– In the second half, PSV forced Shakhtar to defend. How difficult was it to maintain that focus and organisation?
– Well, about defending… As I said, in my opinion, we showed a good performance, a performance worthy of the Champions League, so I wouldn’t say we were simply under siege. We had our tactics and our game plan to follow, and all the lads did a great job – they fought for each other. So I think we accomplished what we set out to do.
– How important is this result? And what does it say about the team’s level at the moment?
– In terms of our performance, we played good football and are taking one point home, so nothing changes for us. There are still seven games to play, so we’ll focus on the other games. Perhaps this very point will prove decisive for us after the eighth matchday.