Champions League
Yuriy VIRT: “It would be good for Shakhtar to surprise Antwerp like in the first match”
On 28 November, Shakhtar players will host Antwerp, Belgium, in their next Champions League group stage match (kick-off at 19:45 Kiev time).
Former Pitmen goalkeeper Yuriy Virt shared his expectations from the match in Hamburg, Germany, in his meeting with Sport.ua reporter:
– I really want the Donetsk team to gain the upper hand tomorrow after an unexpected victory over Barcelona, and then the fate of the ticket to the next round will be decided in the final match with Porto.
– You are not worried that Shakhtar did not look convincing in the current UPL championship and you do not complain about the bias of the referees, as was the case in such cases before.
– In recent months Shakhtar have indeed often found themselves in the minority, but in my opinion all these suspensions were fair. As for me, the Pitmen themselves are responsible for the loss of points in the UPL, having squandered a scoring opportunity in one match and not being blameless defensively in the other. The Pitmen really lack consistency this season. A similar incident occurred in the Shakhtar-Antwerp match in Belgium. Before the break, the Pitmen were behind in all components – 0:2. In the second half, the away team reached a turning point and achieved a super strong victory. To be fair, it should be said that the City goalkeeper acted strangely at that moment and the home team managed not to convert the penalty in extra time.
– Many experts argued that Antwerp, where there were many young people, prematurely believed in their victory and was punished for frivolity.
– Let the “townspeople” find out why this happened, but this is already history. It is now important for the Pitmen to draw the right conclusions from this victory and not make the same mistakes. In general, in my opinion, the Donetsk team did not play as well as Antwerp’s second half this season. Therefore, it is desirable to surprise Antwerp tomorrow with intensity and the desire not to give up in every battle.
– Maybe Shakhtar’s problems in the UPL championship are due to insufficient concentration?
– It is possible, but the Champions League is a completely different tournament, the motivation is different and even more so at the finish line. At stake here is Ukraine’s football image and, ultimately, the opportunity to seriously renew the club’s coffers.
Therefore, it is important that there is no conspiratorial mood in Hamburg. Yes, Antwerp, unlike the Pitmen, do not play in European cups very often, but in this team there are enough talented young people who are eager to make a name for themselves in the most prestigious continental tournament. Therefore, it is necessary to take into account every little detail, demonstrate your best qualities, and only then will Shakhtar’s December challenge for the Champions League play-offs in Portugal become a reality.
Source: Sport UA
I am a sports journalist who has written for a number of Sportish. I have a background in journalism and have been writing since I was young. My main focus is sports news, but I also write about general news. I am currently working as an author at Sportish.
Former coach of Dynamo Kiev Alexander Showkovsky He should have been sacked in August after a poor performance in the Champions League qualifiers.
The blue-whites, who lost twice to Cypriot Paphos in the 3rd round of the European Cup (0:1 and 0:2), were relegated to the Europa League and then promoted to the Conference League.
“I know that Dinamo management believes that a change of coach could and should be made in the summer, after they lost to Paphos in the Champions League qualifiers.
Then an opportunity arose. But the necessary candidate was not available,” the source said.
Due to the lack of alternatives, the president of the Kiev club decided to leave Shovkovsky as head coach, but in November the Ukrainian specialist was nevertheless fired and left Dynamo.
Source: Sport UA
I am a sports journalist who has written for a number of Sportish. I have a background in journalism and have been writing since I was young. My main focus is sports news, but I also write about general news. I am currently working as an author at Sportish.
We continue to examine the future of Donetsk shakhtar To buy tickets directly to the main stage Champions League 2026/27.
This will be possible if the place reserved for the team that wins the Champions League trophy is redistributed.
All important moments of the match are available in LIVE mode Telegram Sport.ua
Donetsk Miner They are in fourth place with a coefficient of 50.250 among the clubs competing for a possible position at the heart of the Champions League.
In the last European week, the Donetsk club added +2.625 points. This increase was achieved with a 0-0 draw with Croatian Rijeka in the 6th round of the Conference League and a sixth place in the main round final table.
Main rival Greek Olympiacos – 56,500 points remaining. The Miners can regain the 6,250-point lead if they perform well in the spring part of the European Cups.
It is interesting that Shakhtar lost the first place in the UPL (Cherkasy has the same number of points as LNZ – 35 points each), and Olympiacos lost the lead in Greece to the AEK team (36 points against 37). Ukrainian striker Roman Yaremchuk plays for the team of the city of Piraeus.
Positions rangers (59,250), 4th in Scotland and Copenhagen (53.375), placed 5th in Denmark, looks less competitive in the rankings due to its position in the national championships. Leader only in championships Dinamo Zagreb And RB Salzburg (44,000 each) but there is no certainty that the turn will come.
Let us remind you that if the cup holder buys a ticket to the Champions League through the national championship, there will be a vacancy in the main squad in the 2026/27 Champions League. In this case, a balance will arise again and if Shakhtar wins the UPL and is ahead of Olympiacos in the UEFA club rankings (or the Greek club does not become the champion of Greece), it can get a direct ticket to the base of the Champions League.
If the Piraeus team is higher in the rankings and takes advantage of the available space, the Donetsk club will start from the 4th quarter of the Champions League, not the 2nd quarter, in case they win in the UPL.
Candidates for direct tickets to the Champions League 2026/27 main stage
(In case the quota reserved for the Champions League champion becomes vacant)
UEFA Club Rankings 2026
infographics
Source: Sport UA
I am a sports journalist who has written for a number of Sportish. I have a background in journalism and have been writing since I was young. My main focus is sports news, but I also write about general news. I am currently working as an author at Sportish.
Champions League
Pedri commented on the new format of the Champions League: An unexpected look from a football player
Barcelona midfielder pedri He answered the question about his attitude towards the new format of the Champions League with the general group stage.
“Do I like the new format of the Champions League? I can’t say with 100% certainty which format I like more: this one or the previous one?”
If I have to choose, I will do something new: There were more matches between strong teams in the first stage,” said Pedri, as quoted by Esquire.
Before the 2024/2025 season, the group stage of the Champions League consisted of eight groups of four clubs each. All participants played six matches in their respective foursomes, home and away, against each of the three opponents.
From the 2024/2025 season, a new Champions League format comes into force with a common group stage of 36 clubs; each participant plays eight matches, four away and four at home; The opponents are determined by lot.”
Source: Sport UA
I am a sports journalist who has written for a number of Sportish. I have a background in journalism and have been writing since I was young. My main focus is sports news, but I also write about general news. I am currently working as an author at Sportish.
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