"Shakhtar sporting director Darijo Srna emphasized the unique difficulties faced by the club, stating, 'You will not find in the world a head coach or medical staff who will understand and who has experience to recover players after 18 hours on the road.'"
"'If you bring even Pep Guardiola into Shakhtar now, or Jose Mourinho, or Jurgen Klopp, I don't know how he will manage this situation. Believe me, it's just mentality,' Srna added, highlighting the psychological challenges of their circumstances."
"'We will have around 26,000 supporters, almost 90% Ukrainian people,' said club CEO Sergei Palkin, reflecting on the strong support from fans who have traveled from various countries to attend the matches."
Shakhtar Donetsk confronts significant challenges as they prepare for their UEFA Conference League semi-final. Following a match against Crystal Palace in Poland, they will undertake an 18-hour bus journey to Kyiv for a domestic match. Due to the war, Ukrainian airspace is closed, forcing them to travel back to Poland and then fly to London for the second leg. The club has been displaced since 2014, playing home matches in various locations, which has affected their pre-match routines and player recovery.
Read at www.bbc.com
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