The head coach of Donetsk's Shakhtar, Arda Turan, commented on the results of the UEFA Champions League main stage draw for the 2026/2027 season, in which the Donetsk club will be the sole representative of Ukraine. At the end of the draw, the "miners" received eight opponents: Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Sporting Lisbon, PSV, Fenerbahce, Leipzig, AEK Athens, and Slovan Bratislava. This is reported by Sport RBC.UA, citing the official Shakhtar website.
Optimism Despite the Big Names
The Turkish specialist, who leads the Donetsk club, acknowledged the high level of the upcoming opponents, but overall maintained an optimistic mood regarding the team's performance in Europe's premier club competition. "We are talking about some of the biggest clubs in world football — teams that have won this tournament, reached the finals, and become legendary in their countries. We have great respect for all of them. Every match will be important and valuable for us. We see the Champions League as an opportunity to make our mark, show who we are, and get closer to our dreams," Arda Turan stated in an interview published on the club's official website.
"True to Ourselves": Shakhtar's Philosophy in the New Tournament Format
When asked whether the big names of the opponents frighten the team, the "miners" coach emphasized that the squad is not afraid of any of the eight opponents and intends to remain true to its own playing style. "Our goal is to stay true to ourselves, to represent Shakhtar's football, and to fight for our future and dreams. We are not afraid of anyone, but we have great respect for every opponent," Turan added. Thus, the coaching staff of the Donetsk club is betting on identity and tactical discipline, rather than on a strategy of avoiding strong opponents.
Timeline and Format: What Awaits Shakhtar in the 2026/2027 Season
The matches of the first round of the Champions League 2026/2027 main stage are scheduled for September 8–10, 2026. In the new tournament format introduced by UEFA, each of the 36 teams in the main round plays eight matches — four at home and four away. For Shakhtar, this means that already in the first match week of September, the Donetsk club will take the field against one of the eight named opponents, and the entire main stage will last until March 2027, after which the top eight teams will advance directly to the knockout phase, while teams ranked 9th to 24th will go to the additional playoff rounds.
Context: Ukrainian Football in European Competitions
In addition to Shakhtar, all participants in the main stages of the Europa League and the Conference League were determined on the eve. Ukrainian footballers playing for European clubs also played their matches in the qualifying rounds: Daniil Sikan and Ruslan Malinovskyi had matches with opposite outcomes, which added extra intrigue to the Ukrainian segment of European football ahead of the main stage of the season. Thus, Donetsk's Shakhtar under Arda Turan becomes the main bearer of the Ukrainian flag in the 2026/2027 Champions League, and its performance against Real, Inter, and other giants will be a key event for Ukrainian football in the coming year.
