Shakhtar defender talks about the match against Obolon and the team’s goals for the season
Shakhtar central defender Valeriy Bondar played quite calmly in the away match with Obolon and helped the Ukrainian champion achieve a major victory in the game of the 22nd round of the UPL.
— You returned from hosting the Ukrainian national team, which won the right to play at the European Championships in Germany. How to get ready for a Ukrainian Premier League match after such a result?
— All the guys who left for their teams completed the main task – they were classified for the European Championship. We are talking about the national teams of Ukraine and Georgia. Therefore, we were in a great mood. Everyone in our team understood that it was very important for us to win the game with Obolon.
— Is it difficult to switch from international games to home affairs?
– It’s a matter of habit. All matches are very important for us, but it’s really difficult to switch gears. Our coaching staff knows how to properly prepare the team, and the older guys can always give advice and set up the younger players correctly. Even for a game with an outsider.
– We all see how Obolon plays in home matches – it’s difficult for the guests here, their bones literally crack…
– And it was like that today. The first half was replete with fouls and rough play. I think that the referee correctly sent off Obolon striker Sukhanov. He played rudely against Shved. And a couple of minutes earlier he tried to play rough against me – he just missed my leg.
— All the main events in the match took place in the first half, and the second half of the game did not evoke such emotions…
– Agree. It’s difficult for everyone to play against Obolon. The brewers are an unyielding rival who gives battle to everyone. They don’t care who they play with.
— Tell us about your new expensive Brazilians – Kevin and Marlon.
— It’s too early to talk about anything. They communicate in Portuguese. They have already learned a few basic words – “Calm, behind, alone.” It is clear that these are high-level players. Kevin came to us earlier, but Marlon was injured, and only recently began to train in the general group. But their class is immediately visible. Now they need time to adapt to Ukrainian football. Here the defenders play aggressively. With Obolon, Marlon made his debut in the UPL. But he played with great desire and showed a good amount of work on the football field. These players will help Shakhtar in the near future. Competition is always good.
– However, we know from experience that Brazilians need some time to adapt to our championship…
– This is true. Some people need six months, others more. We are trying to play quality football, with possession. And our opponents in the Ukrainian championship often play defensively. There is a lot of struggle here and it won’t be easy.
— It is clear that Shakhtar wants to become the champion of Ukraine again and play in the group stage of the Champions League in the fall. The Ukrainian Cup is also a priority for the team& Already on Wednesday is the semi-final with Chernomorets.
— I always have emotion and motivation. Under Paulo Fonseca, I played until the final of the Ukrainian Cup, but then I left for the Ukrainian youth team (U-20), which became the world champion in Poland. So, I personally haven’t won the Ukrainian Cup yet. All of us at Shakhtar want to win both the championship and the Ukrainian Cup. We have a fairly young team now. On Wednesday we will try to show our best football in the confrontation with Chernomorets and try to reach the final.
Source: Sportarena
I’m Scott Moore, a professional writer and journalist based in the US. I’ve been writing for various publications for over 8 years now, and have been working as an author at athletistic for the past five years. My work has been featured by some of the leading sports websites and magazines across Europe.
