Igor Jovicevic: "Hemp loves Ukraine more than anyone else"

Shakhtar Donetsk head coach Igor Jovicevic commented on the problems of Yukhym Konoplya, who refused to go to the Ukrainian national team and played a half for the Donetsk team almost the next day.

- Konoplya really has a problem. You can see that I don't use him. And it's true, it's a fact. He loves Ukraine more than anyone, I know that because I talked to him. But he honestly said that he has a problem and just doesn't want to let the team down. It's not just to make it sound good. He told me the same thing. Now we are thinking about what to do. When you are not ready to play 100 percent, you can let the team down. And he knows how to play well - as he showed in the Champions League. He is a fundamental footballer. A winger who knows how to play in the attack, can manipulate, beat, and also has the ability to act as a second pace as an eight and close when the ball comes from the left. He feels the space, he has a fierce intelligence. But when you have something that hurts and you just can't sprint, then I don't know what to do. I hesitate too: whether to use him or not, you know? And he is suffering," Jovicevic said.