Coach of 'Shakhtar' Prepares for Battle Against 'Bayern'

Coach Marino Pusic discusses motivating his team ahead of the clash with 'Bayern' in the Champions League.

The head coach of 'Shakhtar,' Marino Pusic, understands that his team faces a tough opponent – one of the most consistent clubs in the Champions League in recent years – 'Bayern'. The sixth round clash between 'Shakhtar' and 'Bayern' will take place on Tuesday, December 10, in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. The match is set to start at 21:45 (Kyiv time).

- 'Shakhtar' players say you are an excellent motivator. This season, your toughest competitor awaits. How do you plan to inspire your team?

- Special motivation isn't required for such encounters. Facing one of the world's top clubs is motivation in itself. Of course, I'll explain a few tactical points and suggest how to approach the game, but I believe everyone is already eager to win as Champions League matches are a huge incentive, especially against such rivals. Therefore, the match itself is motivation enough.

Currently, Germany is in a Christmas spirit, preparing for holidays. In context with the match against 'Bayern' tomorrow: do you believe in miracles?

- I believe in my team. All good achievements start with believing in them. We have played many games in the Champions League–in both the old and current format–where we showcased our skills and level of play. Playing against high-caliber teams requires not only 100% concentration but also reaching perfection to achieve a good result. But, as I've said, we eagerly anticipate such challenges as facing the world's best teams is an incredible feeling, a chance to prove ourselves. We strive for this with our style of play, independent of the opponent. I'm confident in my players, their character, and their desire to show themselves. So, let's play!

- The match against PSV was Dmitry Riznyk's showcase with his records. What is necessary in the game against 'Bayern' for Riznyk to have less work?

- Total flawlessness is needed. It's about the whole team, not just one player. I always tell everyone, we attack and defend together. All our attacks begin with Riznyk, and the defense starts with the top three forwards. Perhaps tomorrow there will be just two; I haven't decided yet. But excellence in all game aspects against such opponents is essential, and everyone on the field must excel. This is a significant test for us. We are a team with nothing to lose, only to win. We will strive to do that.

- After analyzing the game against PSV with a cool head, why couldn't you maintain a two-goal lead while being one man down?

- I don't want to delve into that game. We missed a great chance to earn crucial points, but we showed a high level of play and led for 70 minutes. As the opponent's coach mentioned, playing 11 against 11, they would have lost, and we would have won. Few teams achieve this in Eindhoven in the last couple of years. We can be proud of our performance. Unfortunately, red cards are part of the game, and we received one. We learned our lessons and are moving on. The next opponent awaits us, one of the best in the world, making the task more challenging, but we won't give up. I believe in our style of play; we'll try to be worthy opponents.

- How will you prepare for January matches in the new Champions League format?

- The new format is different. It's good that we'll play twice in January. After the last game, we'll have a break and prepare for the two final matches. It's unusual to start the season with high demands right after winter break since our championship starts late and there aren't official matches before the Champions League. This is a challenge, but we're glad to have such tests. We'll play twice and strive to gain points; we're pursuing our goal to the end.

- Did the 'drama' in Eindhoven affect the players after the loss to PSV?

- It was a masterpiece from both sides, not drama. You can be on top sometimes, and other times face setbacks. Losing in the last seconds is painful, but not tragic. We showed high standards, I am proud of the team. Red cards were the determining factor, but there's no tragedy here. Drama belongs in the theater.