'We lost our home, not our identity' - Shakhtar eye European glory

Breaking news from the world of sport: 'We lost our home, not our identity' - Shakhtar eye European glory Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Shakhtar have not played at their home stadium in Donetsk since May 2014 By Emily Salley , Sport journalist and Alex Brotherton , Sport journalist Published 27 minutes ago While preparing for the biggest week of their season, Shakhtar Donetsk face challenges which are unimaginable for most football clubs. After facing Crystal Palace in Krakow, Poland, in the first leg of their Uefa Conference League semi-final on Thursday, the Ukrainian Premier League leaders will begin an arduous journey. They'll face 18 hours of bus journeys to get to Kyiv in time for Sunday's match against Dynamo Kyiv.

With Ukrainian airspace closed because of the war with Russia, they will then retrace their steps to Poland and fly to London for next week's second leg. "This is one case, and believe me, it's been like this four years," Shakhtar sporting director and former captain Darijo Srna said. "You will not find in the world a head coach or medical staff who will understand and who has experience to recover players after 18 hours on the road.

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" It's not uncommon for their pre-match preparations to include hours spent in air-raid shelters and last-minute hotel changes because of rocket damage. "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.

" 'Ukrainians can do something crucial in life' Shakhtar have led a nomadic existence since the 2014 Russia-backed annexation of Donetsk, playing their home matches all around Ukraine. Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the club has been forced to play home European fixtures in Germany and Poland. Doing so has offered a link to their homeland for the 10 million Ukrainians - Shakhtar fans or not - who fled the war.

"We will have around 26,000 supporters, almost 90% Ukrainian people," club CEO Sergei Palkin said of the Palace game in Krakow. "I am sure that they arrive not just from Poland, but from other countries. They spread over the world, everywhere.

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For those who stayed abroad, it's like a connection. " Image source, Getty Images Image caption, The United Nations Refugee Agency says almost six million Ukrainians have left the country as refugees since Russia's invasion in 2022 Under the management of former Atletico Madrid and Turkey midfielder Arda Turan, Shakhtar are looking to claim a second European trophy after winning the Uefa Cup in 2008-09. After finishing sixth in the Conference League league phase they beat Lech Poznan 4-3 on aggregate in the last 16 before overcoming AZ Alkmaar 5-2 over two legs to reach the final four.

It may sound trite to say that football is more than a game, but for those who remained in Ukraine, it is important to see representatives of their country succeed on the international stage.

The story has climbed to the top of the sports agenda, with fans and analysts following closely.