Roberto De Dzerby, Brighton's head coach, spoke about his time at Shakhtar.
Oberto De Dzerby. Photo: gettyimages.com"I worked on a big project. This talented and young Shakhtar was my dream team. There were conditions to go to the international level as well. It was all wiped out by the bombs.
The war created wonder, bewilderment, anxiety. My generation had never faced such harsh reality. To us, the war is the stories of our grandparents, and I saw it before me with its horrors. It's hard to explain. You are immersed in a nightmare.
Before the full-scale invasion, the club told us it was just a game, arm wrestling, to stretch our muscles, that nothing would happen in the end. But I had been following Italian television and had a different perception. When images of Russian tanks huddled on the borders began to spread, I feared the worst.
Putin's violent speeches against Ukraine made me realize that the outbreak of war was a matter of hours. I left the house at 6 p.m. and moved with the staff to a hotel that hosted us until the day we left the country.
The original idea was to sit tight and wait in hopes that the conflict would end and soccer in Ukraine would resume. In April offers came in, but I did not consider them.
In summer I felt a desire to start all over again. This opportunity came to "Brighton", and I took it. I consider myself lucky because soccer gave me a second chance," said De Dzerby.
