Arda Turan described the upcoming UEFA Conference League playoff against Swiss side "Servette" as "an important final" for his "Shakhtar Donetsk" team. The Turkish coach emphasized the significance of representing Ukraine in European competition ahead of Thursday's first leg match.
"The UEFA Conference League is very important and valuable for us. We're happy to represent our country, Ukraine, at this level. But first we need to get through these playoff matches," – Turan stated at the pre-match press conference.
The Shakhtar boss highlighted the challenging nature of their Swiss opponents, who reached this stage after progressing through several qualifying rounds. Turan made it clear his team would approach the encounter with maximum responsibility, aiming to gain an advantage from the first match.
Interestingly, Turan plans to reward his players with their first two-day break in a month following Thursday's game. "After Friday morning's recovery session, I'll give the team two days off for the first time in a month," he explained. The squad will then regroup in Geneva on Monday to prepare for the return leg.
"August has been a difficult month for us," admitted Turan. "We tried to get through it as best we could." Despite their elimination from another European competition by Panathinaikos, the coach expressed pride in his players and satisfaction with their playing style.
Turan will rely on his coaching staff – Kerem Yavash, Sinan Sarikurt, and Carlo Nicolini – who will join him on the bench for tomorrow's match. Will this experienced coaching team help "Shakhtar" secure a crucial first-leg advantage? The first step toward the Conference League group stage begins tomorrow.
By the way, Turan believes his team has learned valuable lessons from their recent European encounters. "For this system to work, we need time and patience," he concluded. "But right now, I'm very pleased with how my players are responding and behaving on the field."
