Mircea Lucescu: "Metallurg" might be dubbed the third Championship’s team for playing like they do now"

07-03-2010 19:32

Shakhtar head coach Mircea Lucescu communicated with reporters after the team’s victory in Donetsk derby.

— This must have been the most challenging clash with Metalurg we’ve ever had. This goes to show that the team is gaining experience, leveling themselves up with the great teams of Ukrainian football. That’s why I am glad we’ve earned these three points, they are very important to us under the circumstances. We have been really fighting for this victory, and it showed. And I think we earned it. We even picked up the hardest players for the lineups this time. It was clear that today we’d have more fighting than football as such. I would like to highlight Metalurg’s achievements once again. They might be dubbed the third Championship’s team for playing like they do now.

We had a very good Fernandinho today. I would like to greet him with the birth of a son, as well as wish for his kid becoming as good a football player as his dad is. I would also like to point out Mkhitaryan’s game in the opponent’s lineups. He’s been doing great since he came to Ukraine. I am displeased with the way Adriano acted and I strongly disapprove of his behavior. We’ll get this sorted out… He’s got no excuses, even if he’s been provoked. He had no right to snap back in a way he did. He will be strictly punished for that.

— Mister, the team played with two forwards. You must have intended to strengthen the attacking line in this way?
— We kept in mind that Metalurh has three tall players: Mguni, Checher and Pryyma. This team is good in set play. We analyzed that and therefore tried ‘covering up’ the set play standards with our forwards apart from their attending to their regular duties. I think neither Douglas not Jadson who didn’t appear in starting lineups could have opposed this kind of hard midfield play.

— Mister Lucescu, was the game played in the way you had expected it to, or was it even tougher?
— It’s exactly the game we had been getting ready for. That’s why I am satisfied with what happened. The opponents displayed all of the abilities we had known about. I repeat, this is a very good team.

— Adriano’s sending off will lead to at least one game suspension. Will there be any changes in team’s lineups?
— This opportunity needs to be taken by other forwards who work in our team every day: Gladkyy, Fomin, Aghahowa. Now we will have to keep an eye on those who can replace him. Naturally, Adriano will be punished. We do not shift our level because of the absence of a player from pitch.

— Are Willian and Rat getting well?
— Let’s hope that Willian will get better by the fixture with Metalist. We put him on the lineup in common group for this match, but he hasn’t altogether recovered yet. As for Rat, we’ll have to see about that…

FC Metallurg Donetsk
Press Office