Shakhtar Donetsk face 18-hour bus rides and closed airspace to chase European glory while displaced fans fill Krakow stands.
Shakhtar Donetsk are preparing for their most pivotal week of the season, but their journey involves obstacles that most football teams never face. After playing Crystal Palace in Krakow, Poland, for the first leg of the UEFA Conference League semi-final on Thursday, the Ukrainian Premier League leaders will embark on a grueling trip.
They will spend 18 hours on a bus ride to reach Kyiv in time for Sunday’s league match against Dynamo Kyiv. With Ukrainian airspace closed due to the war with Russia, they will then reverse their journey to travel by air to London for next week’s second leg.
Shakhtar’s sporting director and former captain Darijo Srna described the unique challenges his club faces daily. He stated, 'This is one case, and believe me, it's been like this four years.' Srna emphasized that no head coach or medical staff in the world could fully understand the strain of recovering players after 18 hours on the road.
Pre-match preparations often include hours spent in air-raid shelters and sudden hotel relocations because of nearby rocket strikes. Srna added, '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.'
Shakhtar have been forced into a nomadic existence since the 2014 Russia-backed annexation of Donetsk, playing home matches across Ukraine. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, the club has been compelled to host European home fixtures in Germany and Poland.
This decision has provided a vital connection for the 10 million Ukrainians who fled the war, whether they support Shakhtar or not. Club CEO Sergei Palkin noted that around 26,000 supporters, nearly 90% of whom are Ukrainian, attended the Palace game in Krakow. He explained, 'I am sure that they arrive not just from Poland, but from other countries. They spread over the world, everywhere. For those who stayed abroad, it's like a connection.'
Under the guidance of former Atlético Madrid and Turkey midfielder Arda Turan, Shakhtar are aiming to claim a second European trophy after winning the UEFA Cup in 2008-09. The side finished sixth in the Conference League group stage, then defeated Lech Poznań 4-3 on aggregate in the last 16 before overcoming AZ Alkmaar 5-2 over two legs to reach the semi-finals.
While many say football is more than a game, for Ukrainians still in the country, seeing their national representatives succeed internationally carries deep meaning. Palkin remarked, 'It's almost [always] negative news, and Ukrainians are living under big emotional pressure.' He continued, 'For us to go to a semi-final, it means we can give them some kind of positive emotion, to understand that we are alive, Ukrainian football is alive, and we can continue to compete on this high level.'
FIFA’s 2022 decision to permit both foreign and homegrown players to leave Ukrainian clubs without compensation due to the war left Shakhtar in a difficult position. Palkin admitted, 'It was a big problem because we lost top talents. We lost 14 players and coaching staff. So we started to build a new Ukrainian team.'
Thanks to long-standing relationships with clubs and players in Brazil, Shakhtar have gradually returned to their original model. Turan now has 12 Brazilians in his squad, with more expected to arrive during the summer transfer window.
Despite the challenges, Shakhtar remain committed to their core identity. Palkin stressed, 'We are not selling them comfort, because everybody understands the war, it's not comfort. We are selling them their career pathway.'
He added, 'We lost our home, but we didn't lose our identity. We follow our procedures, we follow our model, what we are building.' Palkin recognizes that European success could keep global attention focused on Ukraine’s ongoing struggle.
Palkin understands the wider significance of Shakhtar’s journey. He said, 'I understand it's difficult, but it's not possible to close your eyes on what's going on here in Ukraine.'
He questioned, 'Can you imagine what this means for Ukraine, also for President Zelensky, for all the people, for all the fans, also for the other clubs?' Palkin concluded with pride, 'I am proud of this team. We are still strong. We are still united.'