Shakhtar Prepares for Crucial Matches: Showdown with AZ and LNZ
On April 9, Shakhtar Donetsk will face Dutch club AZ in a pivotal Conference League quarter-final match, followed by a challenging encounter against LNZ Cherkasy just days later.
On Thursday, April 9, at 22:00 Kyiv time, the Donetsk football club Shakhtar will play an important match against the Dutch club AZ as part of the quarter-finals of the Conference League. This match will nominally be a home game for the Ukrainian team, although it will actually take place in Krakow, Poland, which undoubtedly adds a special context to this confrontation.
Just a few days later, on April 13 at 16:00, Shakhtar faces another tough challenge — an away match against LNZ Cherkasy. This opponent currently leads the Ukrainian Premier League standings, thanks to a superior goal difference, making them particularly dangerous in the eyes of Shakhtar's players.
Shakhtar's sporting director Dario Srna shared his thoughts on the team's readiness for these two important matches in an interview with PROFOOTBALL Digital, and announced a possible rotation of the squad. He stated: “This is a strong team [AZ], a very good team. And, of course, the trip there and back will still take our energy, and we won’t be fresh. But this is not an excuse. We are playing for Ukraine, for our points, for European competitions. Therefore, we will do everything to advance further.”
Srna also emphasized the importance of player rotation due to the tight match schedule. “You saw that today [in the game against Rukh] we changed five or six players. I think there will be rotation in the next match as well, and there will also be rotation against LNZ. Otherwise, we simply will not withstand it. Playing on two fronts in such a short period without rotation is simply impossible,” he added.
It is worth noting that on April 5, Shakhtar achieved a convincing victory over Rukh with a score of 3-0 in the 22nd round of the Ukrainian Premier League. This victory was an important step in preparing for the upcoming matches, as after the meeting with LNZ, the Miners will have a return match against AZ in the Conference League, scheduled for April 16, as well as a match against Polissya planned for April 18.
Additionally, it should be mentioned that earlier Dario Srna commented on the health condition of his former coach Mircea Lucescu, who currently needs support. Shakhtar's head coach Arda Turan also expressed his support for the 80-year-old Romanian specialist, highlighting the importance of his contribution to Ukrainian football.
Thus, Shakhtar is preparing for two crucial matches that could significantly impact their path in European competitions and the domestic championship. The team aims to showcase their best football and fight for victory for their fans and country.