The head coach of Shakhtar Igor Jovicevich gave an interview to Marca before the rematch with Real Madrid in the Champions League group round.
Ihor Jovichevich, Getty Images"The thing is: what was not enough against the best team in the world, will be enough against many others. We did a lot of things right, staying true to our style. Shakhtar scored after 10 turnovers without giving the ball to Madrid. It's not easy at all! Such an opponent needs very little to score. They let play, but nail in transition phases. It's hard for everyone at the Bernabeu, especially for such a young team. Miner plays with more heart than experience.
A match in Warsaw? We don't play at home. This is the situation. It has an impact. When we play in Leipzig or at the Bernabeu, we feel the breath of the entire stadium, the push of the fans. And we don't have that. There will be Ukrainians in Warsaw who, unfortunately, had to leave their homes because of the brutal war. But this is not our stadium. In any case, it will be easier than in Madrid.
I have to find a balance between the role of a coach and a psychologist. It is difficult to prepare tactically for stronger opponents. Shakhtar have talent and order in the game, but we need time to improve, we need more matches with teams of Real Madrid's level. There is also a psychological point. Players have families in a war zone. They have nervous calls every day.
I can't ignore it. I demand the maximum from them, but I react to the circumstances. We constantly read news about the war, about those regions where the families of football players live. Honestly, I can't express how they feel. I respect them very much. This team is doing incredible things. I am not Ukrainian, but I love them, suffer and feel like a Ukrainian patriot. The boys fight for every meter of the field like the Ukrainian army. We owe it to the military.
In the championship of Ukraine, matches are stopped due to air warning signals. There is no peace anywhere. And you know what's the scariest thing? People want to live, feel free, make decisions with their heart. The siren sounds, and they no longer descend into the bunkers and risk being hit by bombs. It's understandable, it's humane, you can't spend your life in storage," said Jovicević in an interview with Marca.
