“The Shakhtar group is more difficult than last year”

Shakhtar manager Luis Castro shared his thoughts on the Champions League group stage draw. The Pitmen will play against Real, Inter and Borussia Mönchengladbach:

– Your emotions from such a difficult batch?

– This is the Champions League, it is always difficult. Three great teams from the European top 5. Germany, Spain, Italy: three great championships. We know the difficulties that await us and we must reach our best level to leave the group.

– Can you call the group more difficult than last season?

– Let’s say yes. This is a very difficult group with maximum requirements.

– Real did not buy in the summer, while Inter, on the contrary, strengthened and became one of the contenders for gold in Italy. Which of these teams is more stellar in your opinion now?

– We have Real Madrid playing 4-4-2 with diamond, Inter with 5-3-2. Let’s analyze Borussia M, this is also a very competent team. I think the group is very, very difficult, but we will try to follow all their requirements and perform well in the Champions League.

– Now, while the emotions are still hot, it is difficult to evaluate the composition of the eight groups. And yet, at first glance, this is not a group of death?

– We are all aware that we are in a very difficult group, and we do not hide it. But last year they also experienced quite difficult moments and of 11 matches in European competition they only lost three: the semi-final of the Europa League with Inter, the first match in the Champions League group of Manchester City and the last against Atalanta.

It really shows how well we were prepared for our path to the European Cup. And now invent something and say that we will have a very accessible and simple group, no, it will be a lie. Without a doubt, the group is very, very difficult.

But we will try to prepare in the best possible way. I really believe in my players, I trust them. I believe in our club, in our path, in our training process and in our idea of ​​the game. This is normal: none of the teams in such a situation will feel comfortable, all matches will be extremely difficult.

But we look at our daily work very carefully and with joy to participate in this tournament.