The captain of Donetsk Shakhtar spoke about the team’s preparation for the opening match of the Champions League.
The miner got used to training during the war, and therefore had no problems preparing for the match against Leizig in the Champions League. Pitmen captain Taras Stepanenko said this at the pre-match press conference.
In addition, the player noted the strengths of the future opponent in the European Cup tournament.
“Leipzig is a quality German team with strong players who play fast vertical football. They have fast forwards and we have to be alert and ready for that. We played a lot of German clubs and I can say it was difficult against them, however we have less and have good results in those matches. Tomorrow we will try to show good football and get the result.
I didn’t say anything to the young players. I remember my feelings before the first match in the Champions League, I was very worried, but the only thing I heard before the game was that you are ready. They are ready, Mister is ready too, I’m sure, so it’s important that they come out, show what they can do at this moment, and just enjoy the atmosphere, the level and the full stands. I think they have it all: talent, hard work and the potential to play good football and achieve results.
This is the first time for us to train and play in war conditions. It’s hard to describe my feelings during training in Kyiv, but every day we approach training in such conditions without any problems. In practice, you must be ready to hear the alarm sounds, and then you have to go for cover. But every day you make your country proud. I am training and doing my best for my country. This is our way, this is our spirit, we must overcome it,” Stepanenko was quoted as saying by Shakhtar’s official website.
Recall that the match in the first round of the group stage of the Champions League Leipzig – Shakhtar will take place today, September 6, and will start at 22:00 Kyiv time.
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Source: korrespondent
I am William Jackson and I have a passion for sports journalism. With over 3 years of experience in the industry, I have worked in a variety of roles to improve the quality and accuracy of sports news coverage. As an author at Athletistic, I specialize in covering football news and providing comprehensive analysis for fans around the world.
