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Shakhtar manager Luis Castro shared his expectations of the game against Inter.
– Can we say that it is now easier for Shakhtar to play number two? What is the status of Pyatov and Matvienko?
– If we talk about Real and Vorskla, you must understand that they were completely different parties. Playing with Vorskla we were able to score 14 shots on goal and Poltava only 3. We had 70% of the ball possession, we completely dominated the game, creating a lot of chances.
Against Real we had about 43% of the property, Real 57%. We took a lot of shots on goal, we created many more chances than Madrid in that game. There was the same desire in both parties. We try to keep the opponent’s goal in the head, play only forward.
But Vorskla closed down and didn’t give us a zone to complete the attacks. Real Madrid played a more offensive football, thanks to which they created a large number of chances in the goal area and in the penalty area. They are different rivals, different parties, they cannot be compared. The level is completely different.
But in both games we were fully competent. Unfortunately we weren’t able to pin down all the chances in the match against Vorskla, we achieved more against Real Madrid.
Matvienko and Pyatov announced for tomorrow’s match.
– What conclusions did you draw after Inter’s 0: 5 in August?
– The situation that happened two months ago showed me what I already knew about football. In football, everything happens very, very suddenly. You should never think that everything is already decided, that we have already won.
I am not saying that this party was under our control. During the break, we lost 0: 1. We had a chance in the first half, like Inter, they knew how to convert it. In the second half, we immediately had a great opportunity, we could have made the score 1: 1. No one would have known how the game would have gone. But this also failed.
Inter scored the second goal. Then the game began to slip out of our hands. We already understood then that, perhaps, it would be very, very difficult to achieve a good result. It reminds me of the Zagreb game, when we were 1: 3 behind and in a few minutes we were able to level the score.
Nothing is decided and anything can happen at any time. Every day I learn something new with my players, matches, colleagues. Every day you have something new. It was the end of our European path last season, because we were caught by a very strong Inter.
Through this defeat, I learned to keep going no matter what. There is always a huge mountain in front of you, a rock. You need to find a way: dig a tunnel, turn around, climb. But somehow you need to get over it in order to go your own way.
We find this way. The season is over, a new one has begun. We have a goal for the season: to try to become Ukrainian champions, win the Cup and have a great campaign in European competitions.
If you stumble, you need to get up, believe, work, and move on. And you will be successful in everything, but only if you sincerely dedicate yourself to your job.
– You have one of the youngest players in the Champions League. How difficult is it to maintain discipline and control it for 90 minutes?
– If I’m not mistaken, in the squad against Real Madrid we only had three players over 22 years old: Dentinho, Marlos and Khocholava. I don’t look at the age of the players, but the qualities they have, regardless of age.
Although we have to play with the strongest Inter, who are fighting for the Scudetto, want to leave the group from first place, all the boys will be focused.
It is always important that the team has a soul, a crazy desire to win. If we do everything in a disciplined way, we give ourselves in every exercise, then we can bring all this success to the field. Then we will show a quality game, it will happen naturally.
I am sure that these young people will have positive energy, desire and ambition to win the match. But in addition to desire, there must be discipline, severity, attention, giving back to the game during the 90 minutes.
It doesn’t matter if you are young or old, the team must always remain a team. There is not a single club in the world where one or two players rule. No, we are one team. It does not matter who has what status, experience or lack of it.
If you have quality and work for the good of the team, everything will work out for you. This is the greatest strength: the team of the team.
– How would you comment on the absence of Moraes in the team photo session? When will we see it?
– Of course, I count on him, as well as everyone else. He was not in the photoshoot because he had a covid and the medical department did not allow him to be with the team that day. As far as I know, he will be photographed in some way, he will be in the general team photo.
– Which task is more difficult for you: calculate Inter’s strengths or determine the squad for this match?
– The most important thing is that we will try to choose the most competent team. The boys will enter the field in a good mood, understanding what they want to do in the game.
The most difficult thing in the life of a team coach, where there are guys who have had covid disease, there are certain guys who stayed healthy, they constantly play in this mode. They get tired.
There are other guys who passed the positive tests and isolated themselves for two weeks. They do not train or prepare for games. Some need more time to return, others are a little tired; all together create a difficult situation.
Kids who have not exercised due to covid does not mean that they do well if they pass a negative test. There are many things that are not seen. But many understand how this virus can affect the human body.
This makes our life very difficult. But our team is made up of super competent guys who know what to do on the field. The most important thing is a strong alliance and a desire to win. Even though I know that we are almost always stronger when we are all together.
I know there are teams where teams are strong with only certain players on the roster. But we are only strong when we are all together – Castro said at the pre-match press conference.
The match will take place on October 27.
