Shakhtar Donetsk's new manager, Arda Turan, is leading the team in the Conference League semi-finals after a challenging European campaign. The team has played 15 matches since July, hosting their first leg against Crystal Palace in Krakow.
Key points
Arda Turan is the new manager of Shakhtar Donetsk.
Shakhtar has played 15 European matches since July.
The team has been exiled from their home ground since 2014.
They are hosting Crystal Palace in the Conference League semi-finals.
âArda is a special guy,â says Palkin, Shakhtarâs chief executive since 2004. âFor him to be a coach in Turkey is being in his comfort zone. He doesnât want to be there. When I called him, he said: âI want to come, I want to come. I want to sign immediately.â He doesnât care about the war, heâs not afraid, nothing. And heâs always using a lot of energy. You will see on Thursday evening. Heâs running on the line, I think three to four kilometres every game.â
If Crystal Palaceâs players are feeling the rigours of a marathon season, they should spare a thought for their Conference League semi-final opponents, Shakhtar, who host Thursdayâs first leg in Krakow. Turanâs side played their first Europa League qualifier in Ljubljana on 10 July and have since negotiated 15 matches in Europe, dropping into the Conference League after losing on penalties against Panathinaikos.
Shakhtar Donetsk coach Arda Turan during the Conference League quarter-final match between AZ and Shakhtar Donetsk
Shakhtar Donetsk coach Arda Turan runs âthree to four kilometres every gameâ on the touchline, says Shakhtarâs chief executive, Serhii Palkin. Photograph: EYE4images/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
What makes Shakhtarâs story even more incredible is that âhomeâ fixtures in Europe since that opening game in Slovenia have been at Krakowâs Henryk Reyman Municipal Stadium, almost 1,000 miles from Donetsk and a 10-hour drive from their training base in Kyiv. With air travel possible for Shakhtar only after they have left Ukraine, their journey to Alkmaar for the second leg of their quarter-final against the Dutch side AZ lasted almost 24 hours.
Q&A
What challenges has Shakhtar Donetsk faced in their European campaign?
Shakhtar Donetsk has faced significant challenges, including being exiled from their home ground since 2014 due to the war with Russia and playing in seven different cities.
How did Arda Turan become the manager of Shakhtar Donetsk?
Arda Turan expressed a strong desire to join Shakhtar Donetsk, stating he wanted to sign immediately despite his previous managerial role in Turkey.
When did Shakhtar Donetsk start their Europa League qualifiers?
Shakhtar Donetsk began their Europa League qualifiers on July 10, playing their first match in Ljubljana.
What is the significance of the upcoming match against Crystal Palace?
The match against Crystal Palace is significant as it marks the first leg of the Conference League semi-finals, highlighting Shakhtar's long journey through European competitions.
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âWe will arrive the next day, I think, 4pm in Kyiv. Saturday training, Sunday evening derby against Dynamo Kyiv, and immediately after the game at Dynamo Kyiv, we are travelling the same way, but just back, and going to London. This is one case and itâs been like this for four years.â
It hasnât stopped Shakhtar from racking up 59 goals in 25 league matches under Turan as they close in on the title after finishing third last season. Shakhtar reached the last four of the Europa League in 2016 and 2020 before Russiaâs full-scale invasion in 2022 changed everything. Most of the clubâs foreign players departed after special Fifa regulations allowed them to leave for free. Shakhtar failed with a claim for up to âŹ50m in compensation and were forced to start from scratch.
Shakhtar Donetsk fans in Alkmaar
Shakhtar Donetsk fans keep the flag flying in Alkmaar. Photograph: EYE4images/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
âWe lost 14 players and coaching staff,â Srna says. âFifa killed us, and we started to build a new Ukrainian team. In the first season, we played with 99% of Ukrainian players. The year after that, we started to buy Brazilians again.â
There are 14 Brazilians on the books, including the exciting teenage playmaker Isaque Silva who arrived from Fluminense in August and is a key part of Turanâs side. Shakhtar previously nurtured players such as Fernandinho and Willian, and the sale of Kevin to Fulham for a club record ÂŁ35m last summer meant the policy paid off once more.
âWe believe in our model,â says Palkin. âYes, we lost our home, but we didnât lose our identity. We have been dealing with Brazilian players for more than 20 years. And for all these years, we have big, big trust. Because they understand Shakhtar is a bridge to go to top European leagues. When we are negotiating with them even today, we are not selling them comfort because everybody understands the world.â
Several players from Shakhtarâs academy left Ukraine after the full-scale invasion. But Shakhtar have also had success developing local talent to sell on, with the central midfielders Viktor Tsukanov and Denys Smetana tipped to follow in the footsteps of Georgiy Sudakov and Mykhailo Mudryk. First Srna is hoping they can help Shakhtar get to the final of a competition he wasnât sure about at first.
Shakhtar Donetsk players line up before the game in Alkmaar
Shakhtar Donetsk players line up before the game in Alkmaar. Photograph: EYE4images/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
âWhen we start to play in the Conference League, I said: âI donât like the Conference League,ââ he says with a laugh. âBut when you arrive in the semi-final, you realise that you did an amazing job. Not just for our players, for our country. The whole of Ukraine will watch our game on Thursday. Because itâs something positive in our country.â
Srna says Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be asked to attend the final in Leipzig should Shakhtar get past Palace in a tiePalkin regards as another opportunity to remind the world what is happening in his country.
âWe have many, many years of war and people living in Europe, living in the USA and the rest of the world, maybe theyâre a little bit tired about this war,â he says. âBut this is a tricky situation because when we are playing our European competitions, we are always trying to mention whatâs going on in Ukraine, because itâs not possible to ignore or to be tired. This is our key point. We need to resolve this situation all together and we need to conclude peace as soon as possible, but a fair peace.â