Shakhtar Donetsk has faced immense challenges since the annexation of Crimea in 2014, forcing the club to relocate multiple times for home games. As they prepare to compete against Young Boys in Gelsenkirchen, club chief Sergei Palkin highlights the struggles of prioritizing safety over matches, providing support for refugees, and raising awareness of Ukraine’s situation through friendly matches. Palkin criticizes FIFA’s new transfer rules for sidelining Ukrainian clubs and reflects on the team’s determination to embody resilience in Ukrainian football.
A Journey Without a Home: The Challenges of Shakhtar Donetsk
Since the annexation of Crimea in 2014, Shakhtar Donetsk has faced significant challenges, unable to play its home games in Donetsk. The club has traversed various cities, from Lviv to Kharkiv, and even to Kyiv, seeking refuge in different locations. As they prepare to face Young Boys in Gelsenkirchen for a Champions League match, club chief Sergei Palkin shares insights into the ongoing struggles and resilience of the team amidst adversity.
Survival and Solidarity Amidst Conflict
The years following the conflict have been extraordinarily tough for Shakhtar. Palkin reflects on the initial move to Lviv in 2014 and the subsequent invasion in 2022, which shifted the focus from playing matches to survival. “We had to prioritize our people’s safety over everything else,” Palkin explains. The club opened shelters for refugees and provided essential support, recognizing the importance of continuing football to keep the spirit of Ukrainian football alive.
“We needed to show the world that Ukrainian football is still fighting,” Palkin emphasizes. Friendly matches across Europe served as a platform to raise awareness about the situation in Ukraine, highlighting the support from democratic nations. This solidarity, even in the form of verbal encouragement, was vital to the team’s morale.
Palkin also addressed FIFA’s controversial new transfer rules, known as “Annex 7,” which he argues undermined the interests of Ukrainian clubs. He criticized FIFA for neglecting to include Ukrainian perspectives while prioritizing foreign players and agents. “Ukrainian clubs were not part of the football family during this time,” he asserts, sharing experiences where some clubs treated Ukrainian players with respect while others exploited the situation for profit.
As Shakhtar looks forward to the match against Young Boys, Palkin recalls the painful memories of their previous encounter in 2017, where a tactical change led to their elimination in a penalty shootout. He anticipates a challenging game ahead but remains hopeful, stating, “We have to win; otherwise, we will not progress in Europe.”
Through their journey, Shakhtar Donetsk embodies the spirit of resilience, fighting not just for victories on the field, but also for the heart and soul of Ukrainian football amidst ongoing challenges.