Her technician Shakhtar DonetskArda Turan spoken in the best words about the atmosphere of his fans Panathinaic At the OAKA at the press conference for the game of the two teams in the 3rd Europa League qualifying (Thursday 7/8/25, 21:00), and did a… basketball analysis.
Specifically, the Turkish coach of Shakhtar referred to former Panathinaikos coach Fatih Terim, calling his father, while for his “clover” basketball team Ergkin Ataman said they had a brotherly relationship.
At the same time he showed his respect for the history of “clover”, while stressing that Kevin’s absence is very important to his team.
His words
“Good evening everyone. We respect Panathinaikos, his culture, his fans and the stadium. We will be ready for the race, taking into account all this, and ready to fight. We will try to impose our game without receding. We know it will not be easy, because they have experienced players with excellent moves in the field. We will keep this respect in the court. We will try to show our potential and make use of our new players. I think it will be a good game for both teams, but even if we have an advantage in the first match, we know that the qualification is judged in two matches. We will manage our strengths accordingly for all 90 minutes. “
How he sees Panathinaikos as an opponent:
“Panathinaikos is a very good team. I can’t answer all the questions now, but I can say that it is mainly effective in the sides. Sometimes they try to control the rhythm. Depending on the intensity they choose, they can play in a different way, and we prepare each player accordingly.
If, for example, the right to the right, it moves more inward. If Pelistri plays, he stays more on the line. So tactics and positions change depending on who is playing. Also, their full-backs are very much involved in the attack with centers. We are ready for all possible scenarios. This is what we are trying to do in our preparation: When you face a team like Panathinaikos, you have to be ready for every aspect of the game. “
For the atmosphere of Greek stadiums and Panathinaikos:
“I’m a Turk and I know very well what the atmosphere is here. Fatih Terim has given me valuable information on the energy and beauty of Panathinaikos fans. For me, Terim is like a father and Ergkin Ataman (basketball coach) as an older brother.
I have been on the Panathinaikos stadium during the playoffs, next to the bench. I know very well the door 13, its energy and how great the fans are. It is a pleasure to play football in such an atmosphere. If I could, I would like to host you in a similar atmosphere in Ukraine at some point.
I also know Centie Osman (basketball player), who has talked to me about the passion of Greek fans. Football is beautiful thanks to the fans. Instead of being afraid of this atmosphere, we enjoy it and experience it as an experience. It is preferable to playing on empty stadiums. I honestly believe that it is great that Panathinaikos fans enjoy such recognition worldwide. “
For Kevin’s absence from the match
“Kevin is very important to us, I know. All of my players are important, but Kevin is special in our offensive decisions. I love him as a brother, not just as a footballer. He is sad that he is not with us, but we are waiting for his return. It will come back soon, the important thing is to be ready. I don’t know exactly the details, doctors know better. At the moment, we are focusing exclusively on tomorrow’s match. And Kevin also thinks about it, even though it’s hard to him. “
For his experience as a new coach in Shakhtar:
“I am very happy to have become the youngest coach to win with Shakhtar. But I don’t think we have achieved something yet – successes are coming to an end. I am pleased with my players’ progress, energy and play. I do not consider myself an experienced coach, but I have experiences of victories and defeats as an athlete. The important thing is to stay with your players in the difficult times, to have confidence and dedication. Everyone can be good when everything goes well, but there it looks like the real coach.
For travel and border crossing, it is a difficult and sad situation. But we do not use it as an excuse. Every time we cross the border, I feel strongly, because I think about people’s stories. What matters is that we are wearing Shakhtar’s jersey and trying to give joy to the world. This is all we care. We want to complete this story as best as possible.
In Ternobyl, it was difficult to circulate in the city and see photos of young people. It’s really hard. “