The former central defender of the Ukrainian national team Oleksandr Kucher shared his expectations for the match of the 8th round of the main stage of the Champions League between Shakhtar and Borussia Dortmund.
— I think it will be an interesting game because Shakhtar still has some minimal chances, as they say, ghostly. But anything is possible in football, and I have been convinced of this more than once. Let’s hope for the best result for the Ukrainian team.
— How will the confident victory over Brest affect Shakhtar in this match?
— Of course, it will give the team confidence. It was very much needed for Shakhtar against the backdrop of recent results in the Champions League and UPL. Shakhtar, as you said, confidently defeated Brest. This victory was quite deserved and will add confidence. Moreover, the miners rested and prepared for Borussia. We understand it won't be easy, but the Germans have had very poor results lately. They have lost in some matches, drawn in others. They have defensive problems. I watched a few of their recent matches, and it is noticeable that the bees are weak in central areas. Their opponents exploited the free space behind the defenders and scored goals like that. But they changed their coach, so they might seek to redeem themselves emotionally in front of their own fans for the poor results. It will be a very challenging game.
— Will Pushich again rely on the Brazilians?
— It’s hard to predict anything here. The main thing is to avoid injuries. The starting lineup might not change because it was victorious. The guys did well, they played good football, so the coach might not change anything. But changes can happen, as there are players who can come on and perform well.
— What does Shakhtar need to do to defeat Borussia?
— It is essential to play confidently in defense. Borussia has a very good striker — Girassi. The Guinean scores goals, plays well in the air, and for his size, he does well with his feet. And, as I understand, Karim Adeyemi has recovered from injury. He also needs attention because he is very fast. Moreover, Borussia is playing at home. They will have tremendous support from their fans. Therefore, they need to be very attentive in defense, especially with the players I mentioned. And they need to take their chances up front, as they did against Brest.
— Will the fact that Shakhtar's fate depends not just on them put pressure on them?
— Maybe so. But the main thing is to show their game and enjoy it. After all, not everything depends solely on them. Shakhtar needs a victory, and how other matches turn out is another question. The main thing is for the miners to play and demonstrate quality football.
— Can this match be the hardest for Shakhtar this season in terms of psychology and pressure?
— You know, I think there will be no pressure or psychological problems here since everyone at Shakhtar understands that their chances of reaching the playoffs are minimal. They have calculated everything. But faith is still there. They believe they can win and that everything will turn in their favor. It’s important for the miners to play and enjoy, rather than be afraid of fan support. A positive result is needed, and we’ll see what will happen in other matches.
— Can the Borussia fans be a problem for Shakhtar?
— I don’t think they will be a big problem. When there is such support, it doesn't always help. It can energize players from both teams.
Andriy Pavlechko