“In the best of cases, Shakhtar will play a draw”

Veres coach and former Shakhtar goalkeeper Yuriy Virt shared his expectations of the Donetsk club’s match in the sixth round of the Champions League against Inter (December 9):

– Pitmen have roughly the same chance of continuing the fight or of being eliminated. Before the start of the tournament, there were many people who gave Shakhtar the last place in their group, but there were also those who gave the miners a chance to advance to the Champions League playoffs. And now this is exactly the situation.

Yes, it will be very difficult in the game with Inter, as the Milanese are in good shape. However, I don’t think anyone will be against Shakhtar continuing to play in the Europa League, so in Italy you have to hold on to glasses with blood from your nose.

In this sense, we can remember the home game against Inter. Yes, the guests had an advantage, but total dedication to the brink of self-sacrifice brought the Donetsk team to a draw.

– Lukaku – Inter’s main weapon?

– In attack, yes. Due to the size of this forward, he is very difficult to deal with. Here, the safety net of Shakhtar players on defense will be very important. But again, the match in Kiev showed that this attacker can be dealt with.

– If Inter is in order, Moraes and Fernando will not play for Shakhtar. This is a problem?

– I hope that Luis Castro can solve this problem. The Pitmen have shown that they have beaten Real twice for a reason, and to the end they claim to advance to the Champions League playoffs.

– Will Shakhtar cede the initiative to their rivals from the first minutes?

– I think so. Inter will press. We will have to defend a lot. Childhood mistakes should not be made in defense, as happened in the games with Borussia. I suppose Shakhtar’s chances will be in counterattacks and set pieces.

– In the current Champions League, the Shakhtar fans were hot and cold. There were losses for Borussia and victories over Real. Which option are you leaning towards now?

– I would like it to be like in the games with Real Madrid. But I am almost certain that Inter will not play like Real Madrid, imposing, slowly. The Italians turn on from the first minutes. This is an experienced team that knows how to achieve your desired result.

– What will your prognosis be?

– It will be difficult to win. In the best of cases, Shakhtar will play a draw. After the Dynamo entered the Europa League, I would like to see Shakhtar in the European competition in the spring, because this will only add prestige to our country. At the very least, I really hope for a successful lineup for the Pitmen.