Croatian to make Champions League debut tomorrow
Donetsk Shakhtar head coach Igor Jovichevich commented on the upcoming match of his team in the first round of the Champions League group stage against Leipizig.
The Croatian specialist stressed that the opponent is now experiencing a slight crisis, but still remains a good team.
“Of course, I don’t have Champions League experience, but I make up for it with crazy motivation and increased adrenaline. At the same time, we must maintain a balance between playing with the mind and the heart. For the team to show good football in the debut match, where experience does not always play a key role. Of course, this is a huge factor, but sometimes young players do not think about the consequences – and this can be one of our trump cards.
“I feel from the first day of the training camp how the mood improves daily. And in the last match, you could notice how much the team has grown, how fighting qualities are growing. And you can not only play football well, but when it gets tough, character appears at some points during the match. And in the last match I saw the team, and it pleases me as much as three points.
“Therefore, tomorrow with the same mood we will start the debut match with Leipzig, which is temporarily going through a small crisis in the results, but still remains a good team. As for the physical condition, we gave a lot of strength in the last match. Playing in the minority for quite a long time took a lot of strength – both moral, and physical, and mental. But I hope that we spent these couple of days in recovery and at the same time gave tactical information to the players about what could happen tomorrow in the match: when Leipzig is with the ball, when is it without the ball, how does the game open, how does it defend, what kind of characteristics in general. And tomorrow there is a whole day for mental preparation, but I can assure you that we will be ready for the match.”
“First of all, tomorrow we represent not only the football club Shakhtar, which has been playing in the Champions League for the last 13-14 years, but we also represent Ukraine. And the minimum that the fans will see tomorrow is how we fight from the first to the last minute in the same way that the military is now fighting for the country and for all of us, so that we feel free. It is our responsibility as a team to play against such teams in the Champions League with sporting results in mind, but also representing the state in times of war.”
“Ukraine is the only country at the moment that plays the championship on its territory, where there is a war. I will say again: this is a very big responsibility and pride. And tomorrow we will do our best to represent Ukraine successfully.”
The match of the first round of group F between Leipzig and Shakhtar will take place on September 6 at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig. The match starts at 22:00 Kyiv time. The main referee of the meeting will be the Portuguese Juan Pinheiro.
Source: Sportarena
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