Pusic: I am proud that we will remain in European competition after the winter break

Shakhtar’s head coach commented on his team’s victory over Antwerp in the group stage of the Champions League.

Marino Pusic was pleased with the actions of the Shakhtar players in the match in the fifth round of the Champions League group stage against Antwerp. The head coach of the Pitmen said this in a press conference after the match.

According to the coach, the players followed all the instructions they received before the match on the field. The specialist also thanked the fans who almost filled the arena in Hamburg.

“First of all, I must say that we played very well in our championship, but did not score goals after good chances, so we got a draw in the last meeting. And even in the match before that we showed very good football. I must remember this, because if you think that a draw is not a good enough result, then it is not, we performed fantastically. There is a big difference in emotions, an empty stadium, in these conditions it is not easy for not only our players, but also other clubs to play in. And then you perform in the Champions League in this stadium with a lot of people – and almost everyone of tickets have been sold out, we have received a lot of support from our fans – and this gives us a slightly different energy, it is not the reason for the draw then or the success now, but there is a difference in emotion and motivation “Would I repeat that the last two games in the championship are probably the best games so far and as you can see, football is about emotions and people think that if one day we draw it is bad. I disagree with this, these matches are incredible. But that’s a different story.

It’s really hard to believe how strong Riznyk’s morals are. He is a very good person, he is level-headed and focused on his development and the team, which is hard to imagine under these circumstances. Because I can say about him… I’m very proud of him in all aspects: the way he works, his concentration, the way he handles loss. It is truly incredible.

First of all, we are proud of our first major achievement – that we will remain in the European competition after the winter break. And we can still have a chance to stay at the highest level in Europe – in the Champions League. We performed well, I am very happy. It’s a tough game, it’s a Champions League match where you have to play against very strong opponents, well and with high quality. But, I repeat, my players are more than I ask of them – not only for me as a coach, but also for the club. And this is very important: discipline, organization. Like I said, they want to play according to my instructions, and I want to compete with everyone, and they showed it. I am a very happy coach these years.

I don’t play computer games because I don’t want to. I played when I was young, but in my time there wasn’t much choice. I started my career as a futsal coach, and as a young player I went through a school where “playing well” is not enough, so it always stays in your head – both when you change your philosophy and when you improve you your view on the game. It’s not only about playing well, when you try to give something to the people in the stadium, but also about winning, because you have to win. We train the way I want us to play the match, there is no difference. We practice the way we play and we play the way we practice. Of course, like every coach, for this part of the game you need the right players, because it’s not easy – I ask a lot from them. But I am sure that thanks to these young players it will reach a high level. And to be honest, when I watch a match, I also want to enjoy it, like the fans,” Shakhtar’s official website quotes Pusic as saying.

We remind you that Shakhtar defeated Antwerp and ensured the continuation of its performances in the European competition.

New Correspondent.net on Telegram and WhatsApp. Subscribe to our channels Athletistic and WhatsApp