The head coach of Donetsk Shakhtar, Arda Turan, commented on his team’s victory over Finnish Ilves (6:0) in the first match of the 1st qualifying round of the Europa League.
Arda Turan“It is very difficult to win a match with a score of 6:0 anywhere in the world, and Ilves is a very good team. They dominated in all their local matches and control the ball well.
We prepared very seriously, and it was visible on the field. We implemented many game principles. I am satisfied with the majority of the game.
Of course, it’s never enough. We had certain problems in defense and during the buildup from the goal, but on the other hand, we were scoring using the very principles we worked on. Also, my players responded well, and doing this 20 days after the start of the preparatory phase was not easy. We are trying to lay the foundation, and the fact that we immediately have such a result is our advantage. We are looking at the situation realistically and will approach the return match as seriously as possible.
We have to fight for every ball and for every movement. Football is not that simple; it requires respect and a serious attitude, so we must maintain maximum concentration at every moment. If we lose this attention in another match, it may lead to problems. Moreover, my players are very young, and we must demonstrate this level every minute. Of course, we see that the score is 5:0 and understand what is happening, but this is our philosophy. We will never relax because of the score because we strive for the highest quality of play and the maximum number of goals scored.
I have seen many matches in my life where a team plays like this, and in the end, there is a draw or even a loss. So I know very well how it can be, and under no circumstances will I support a calm attitude in such cases.
High pressing? To be honest, I want to act like this against any team. If the opponent plays the ball out from the goal, it is an advantage for us. But it needs to be implemented very clearly on the field, as there are situations one-on-one in the defensive line,” Turan said.
