Darijo Srna expects Ukraine to unite behind Shakhtar in Conference League semi | OneFootball

Shakhtar Donetsk sporting director Darijo Srna expects every television in war-torn Ukraine will be tuned to his team’s Conference League semi-final against Crystal Palace on Thursday evening.

Krakow’s Synerise Arena is the latest stop on Shakhtar’s exile tour – one that, on Saturday, will be marked by the 12th anniversary of their final match at the Donbas Arena, played just weeks after heavily armed pro-Russian separatists seized the city and swathes of the surrounding region.

Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Srna’s young Shakhtar team have become not just footballers but purveyors of rare hope, using their European campaign as an opportunity to remind the rest of the world of the plight at home.

“I think the whole of Ukraine will watch our game because it’s something positive in our country,” Srna said.

“Our players will give their best for 90 minutes to show some positive emotion to our country, to our citizens, to our army. I believe that we have the full support, not just in Krakow.

“A lot of army soldiers will be with Shakhtar Thursday evening, but we can promise we can fight until the end, for Shakhtar, for Ukrainian fans, and for all Ukrainian citizens.”

Shakhtar chief executive Serhii Palkin believes about 11,000 professional footballers left Ukraine after the 2022 invasion, including many “top talents” from their own academy.

In 2023, the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld FIFA’s decision to allow players and coaches to unilaterally suspend contracts with Ukrainian and Russian clubs – a policy introduced in 2022 and currently in place until the end of June.

Shakhtar’s appeal for a reported 50million euros in compensation was also dismissed.

Palkin said it took 18 hours for his side – who currently play their Ukrainian Premier League matches at the Arena Lviv, in the west of the country – to travel to their ‘home’ round-of-16 clash with Poznan in Krakow. The ‘visitors’ got there in about 45 minutes.

They face a similar journey home after playing Palace, followed by 12-hour trips to and from Dynamo Kyiv days before flying to London for the second leg at Selhurst Park.

“Even if you bring in (Pep) Guardiola, (Jose) Mourinho, (Jurgen) Klopp, I don’t know how they would manage this situation,” Palkin said. “Believe me, it’s just mentality.”

At this year’s Winter Paralympics, Russian and Belarusian athletes were controversially allowed to compete under their flags for the first time since the 2022 invasion.

World Aquatics extended that privilege earlier this month, sparking concern the International Olympic Committee might soon follow suit, while the conflict in the Middle East is now dominating headlines.

Palkin agreed it sometimes felt like the world has forgotten Ukraine, adding: “When we are playing in Europe, at all times we are trying to mention what’s going on in Ukraine, because it is not possible to ignore or be tired.

“I understand it’s difficult, but it’s impossible to close our eyes. We have a very dangerous war. The club, we all need to do our best at all times to mention what is going on here.

“We need to conclude peace as soon as possible, but fair peace.”