The former coach of Shakhtar Donetsk and now the head coach of Lille Paulo Fonseca commented on the war in Ukraine for Sky Sport Italia.
Paulo Fonseca— You were in Ukraine on February 24, when the war began. You were supposed to fly in the morning, but you did it in the evening.
— We were supposed to leave the day before, but the truth is that no one in Ukraine expected this. I was at home when bombs fell on Kyiv. It was a tragic moment, panic for everyone. Something you usually only see in the movies. In addition, when there is a two-year-old child, it is difficult to escape. When the bombs arrived, everyone wanted to escape from Kyiv. But it was impossible to leave the city, it took 8 hours to cover 2-3 kilometers. It was also difficult to think in a balanced way. In the end, Shakhtar helped me, and at the right moment, the Portuguese embassy allowed me to leave Ukraine. 30 hours of travel, not knowing what might happen, with the constant sound of the alarm. And with two children, because my wife's sister's son was with us.
— How to explain all this to children?
- It's hard to explain. I don't think my son understood what happened, although today it's hard not to talk to him about it. Because he watches what's going on and asks us when we're coming home. We left everything there. I have such a hope that one day everything will be over and we can return.
What I experienced in those days is nothing compared to what people in Ukraine continue to live through. It is difficult for people who have not experienced such a moment to fully understand what war is. You watch those atrocities on TV, and then go back to your life, and people in Ukraine continue to suffer tremendously. Many people, many children die every day.
I think we all can and should do more. It is difficult for me to watch the suffering of this people without doing anything. What we're doing now is saying, "OK, we're helping by sending weapons," but they're alone. This is a fight against a dictator who lies every day, who kills people and is a danger to humanity. What infuriates me the most is that we continue to observe, but what we do is not enough for Ukraine and the world. Because not only Ukraine is in danger now, but the whole world.
