Basel vs Shakhtar: players’ comments

09-07-15 22:48:13

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The Pitmen have reflected on the final match of the summer pre-season.

Oleksandr Hladkyi, Shakhtar’s forward:

- It is good that we have completed the pre-season with a win. It boosts our confidence before the Super Cup game. We faced a good team and deservedly won. We still have five days before gaining proper shape. It is up to the coach to assess my performance. We have worked well, taking part in different tournaments. Unfortunately, we have not displayed our best qualities in all the fixtures. The same concerns the Sion game, which we had to win! It was hard to play against Lechia too, and today was not easy either. Nevertheless, we pulled ourselves together, showed our game and achieved a victory.

Yaroslav Rakitskiy, Shakhtar’s defender:

- We, internationals, returned from holidays in good shape, since after the end of the season we were still training and played two matches for the national team. There were two weeks of holidays during which I was keeping in shape; I was running. Here in Switzerland, we showed good football. Today we won and thus proved that we lost to Sion undeservedly. Our first opponent of the tournament was not easy, because there a lot of fast and skilful footballers playing for Sion. And today I am unhappy with myself, because some of my passes did not find the target, they were inaccurate. But we are playing under workloads. at the training camps  We will enter the rhythm of the championship, and everything will be fine. Our squad have changed a little, but we have to complement each other. All players at Shakhtar are the key ones. It is up to Mister to decide who among the newcomers is better prepared. Although it seems that Maxim Malyshev proved himself well, he played confidently in the holding midfield zone. The other guys are also growing, but they still may lack something. On the whole, I am confident that by July 14 we will have been in the optimal shape; we will be one hundred percent ready, and even more. We simply have to win the Super Cup.

Vasyl Kobin, Shakhtar’s midfielder:

- Sion and Basel, whom we have faced in this tournament, are two well-disciplined teams. It is hard to compare them; they are approximately of the same level. Today was a great match in the run-up to the Super Cup and the league start. I operated in the middle of the field. It was a little unusual, but I still have some experience. I am always ready to play in the positions, in which the coach deploys me, I try to give my best. I regret that I failed to capitalise on a chance in the opening minutes – I could have struck a little faster from close range, and the opponent would not have had time to block my effort. Plus Darijo delivered two crosses to the near post, I made runs forward but failed to get on the end of the crosses. In general, we are nearing to our optimum shape. We had a good game with Sion and today we also showed good football. There are still a few days left, during which, in Kyiv, we will work on things that Mister will consider necessary. I think that we will be ready for the start of the season... I wanted to return to Shakhtar. Teams, in which I have played, are very different in terms of level and organisation. Here everyone knows who should run and where to run. I enjoy playing for Shakhtar. It is a pleasure to play for this team!