Shakhtar prepares for the match against Panathinaikos: what Arda Turan said.

Donetsk 'Shakhtar' will play against the Greek 'Panathinaikos' in the third qualifying round of the Europa League. Head coach Arda Turan spoke about the upcoming match and shared his emotions about crossing borders.

Turan spoke about what to expect from the match

Arda, who became the youngest coach to defeat 'Shakhtar' in European competitions, noted that the team has not yet achieved its ultimate goal. He is pleased with the progress and the players' performance, but emphasized that he is building trust with the team through his experience as a player.

'Anyone can be a good coach when things are going well, but the point is to be good for the players, to have their trust when things go badly,' Turan emphasized.

Turan also acknowledged that crossing the border due to the war in Ukraine is emotionally difficult for the team, but he refused to use this as an excuse, emphasizing that ordinary people are suffering more.

'There are people who are really suffering — young people, children. So we will not use this as an excuse. We will look for the positive. The positive is that we wear Shakhtar's jersey and do something to make people happy,' the coach emphasized.

Turan also mentioned that in Ternopil, where they played against 'Epicenter', it was hard for him to walk around the city and see the photographs of the deceased.

In his statements, Turan highlighted the importance of trust between players and the coach, as well as the principles of a positive approach in the face of the challenging issues the team is facing.