After the first round of the UEFA Europa League group stage Shakhtar had a 100% result. Is the situation developing easier than you could expect?
Frankly speaking, I did not expect anything. And what does it mean ‘easier’? Is this a hint that Club Brugge, FK Partizan and FC Toulouse are weak opponents? It is not true. The matter, I guess, is that Shakhtar felt its play and now it shows spectacular, as I call it, delicious football. Otherwise, each match in Donetsk would not gather 50,000 crowd of supporters.

About the reasons that pegged back Shakhtar from gaining a win over Timisoara in Champions League, the coaches and players were telling a lot. And what is your opinion as the Club President?
It seems to me there were two fatal circumstances. The first is Lucescu’s disease.  His assistants along with Mister himself, having come to be in hospital because of the serious heart problems, did their utmost, unfortunately, it was not enough. The second reason is that recently we have become the UEFA Cup Winner and perhaps the players were still up in the clouds. And Timisoara otherwise had a great motivation to beat not only the UEFA Cup Winner, but also to exceed the best Romanian coach of the present. Plus, Timisoara was lucky in Donetsk, having converted only two counterattacks during the match, it scored two goals. But we wasted about ten goal-scoring opportunities. It says that the players were not focused, hoping to gain a win saving their strengths. And in the return leg, when the rival led a closed play on their side, honestly speaking, Shakhtar could not make the game in attack. 

        To Play-off At The Top Of The Group

Does the powerful appearance in the UEFA Europa League aggravate an annoyance that you do not play in the Champions League?
Of course, it is better to play in Champions League. But it does not matter for me which train you caught. It is more important how far the terminal station is.  Last year we could not qualify for the play-off in Champions League, so we were stricken with grief much. But, you know, they say there is a silver lining to the cloud. In spring we were holding the UEFA Cup in the hands with tears of joy in our eyes. 

The terminus of this season might be Hamburg, where the UEFA Europa League final is taking place…
We are a goal seeking, highly motivated football club, as well as our supporters. We always set high objectives and you know about it quite well. But I would say carefully: till now the objective is to qualify for the play-off round being at the top four.

In 2002 you suddenly announced that Shakhtar would win the UEFA Cup. Are you ready to make a stab at Champions League, even with unset deadline?
It is my dream. I am going to do everything possible and impossible to make it come true. But still I prefer to remain a realist: in the nearest future none of Ukrainian and Russian clubs could reach a final in Champions League. The matter is in the level of the National Champions. They are much higher in England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France now.

What is your attitude to opinion that the UEFA Europa League is the second-rate tournament?
Let them try to win it, and only after that they will be allowed to argue about the ‘rates’. I will applause them sincerely then. 

In Expectation Of ‘The Third Force'

Shakhtar, having hopelessly been adrift of Dynamo last season in the first round of the Championship, has to come up with Kyiv again. Are not you worried about that?
Last season and this season's drags are quite different. You cannot compare them.  This season Shakhtar had only one bad play, it was in Uzhgorod against Zakarpattia, where we left two points. And last autumn everything went wrong from the very beginning. There was a paradox: the team in the national championship appeared in different way as it played in the UEFA Cup. Now we do not have such a ‘dual personality’. And Dynamo also will lose their points in the Championship and their last match against Karpaty has already proved it. 

When will Ukraine have ‘the third force’ that can dilute the gold race between Shakhtar and Dynamo?
We had a problem last year when Shakhtar was 9 points adrift of Metallist. Apart from Metallist, Dnipro also puts great efforts to become ‘the third force’, as well as Metalurh Donetsk does its best to succeed. But I have feelings Dnipro will disturb the balance first and perhaps, will win the championship. 

How soon might it happen?
I suppose for any president of all mentioned football clubs it is possible to solve this task within a three year period. 

What are your grounds?
My own experience. 11 October, 1996 I became the President of FC Shakhtar and a year later I announced that the Club would win an important trophy. Try and remember Lobanovskyy’s Dynamo and  Shakhtar at that time. Though, I made it.  Let us take Russian Championship. Several years ago there was a hard clash between Lokomotiv and CSKA. Two years ago Zenit joined them and won the tournament. Last season Rubin made everybody talk about its appearances.  Now everybody is waiting for the situation will come to a head at the end of the championship between Rubin and Spartak. It is great!

If your forecast turns out to be true, will Shakhtar give up?
Quite the contrary. Against the background of growing competition Shakhtar will become stronger. When with the very thought of gaining a gold medal five clubs but not two will appear  in the start of the tournament and supporters will get to know the name of winner only in the last round, this is what I have been dreaming about. 

      The Brazilian Secret 

Is it possible for Shakhtar to experience changes in its line-up this winter?
No. The selection, as unforgettable Viktor Prokopenko used to say, will be a laser one. By the way, this year we sold the transfer rights for € 45 mill. and we have not bought anyone yet.

What does it mean?
It means now we buy expensive players as well as we sell them high. Before only the lazybones did not take pokes at me saying: Rinat is crazy, he is spending much money on purchasing players and the football is still bad. And what I responded them: you are right, you might make a team with big money, but without money you will never make it as it is. As you see, we have made it! Now we have got a good line-up, but a little fresh air is always good. To strengthen the competition is important for the quality of play. 

Shakhtar is especially good at appearing with the Brazilians. What is the secret?
Rather, who. First of all it is Lucescu.  He, like no one else, can and loves to work with them. Secondly, our Brazilians are professionals, it is impossible to imagine today’s Shakhtar without them. Thirdly, they feel people in Donetsk love them. And the most important thing there are enough reasons to love them for - their beautiful play, fighting spirit and utmost.

        The Matter Is Not In Millions

Do you have any regrets about Chyhrynsky, who could not bring a win against Timisoara and failed to appear in Champions League this season, being in Barcelona line-up?
Who knew it could happen. It is a pity that Dmytro left without Champions League, but on the other hand he has an opportunity to get accustomed to Spanish Championship, to adjust to the best team in the world, in my opinion. 

Could you explain one paradoxical thing? Before Chyhrynsky appeared running down in the Euro Cup for Shakhtar, Barcelona was ready to pay € 22 mill.. But then it had become clear that he could not play for them in Champions League, they agreed to buy him for € 25 mill.!
The question is not in running down or in money, though it is big money. We were preparing for Donbas Arena Grand Opening, hoping to get Champions League and to play in the same line-up as we did it in the UEFA Cup final. Before the match against Timisoara I said to Dmytro: “If I let you go I will become an executioner of my team, if not I will execute you. If you can – please, help us this season, but if you feel it might become a heavy shock for you then I will let you go. Try to put yourself in my place what would you do? I will respect your choice.”  Dmytro acted like a gentleman: “President, I am staying.” After our lost against Timisoara Barcelona went on persisting in his transfer.

If under the new circumstances I would not let Dmytro go for € 25 mill. to Barcelona, a crisis in the team might arise. There will not be any motivation in the team. And plus, the Club might have some problems at transfer market. It would gain a reputation of ‘gold cage’ – you go in, but you cannot go out. And vice versa, if we sell a player, it means we improve the players’ motivation and enhancing the Club reputation at transfer market. That is why I made a decision for benefit of Chyhrynsky and Barcelona.

It is very risky to remain without a defender before the UEFA Europa League. Did Lucescu start question about the immediate strengthen of this position?
I told him without at once: “You have got € 15 mill. to buy a new central defender.”

Was the coach glad?
He answered: “President, you make good investments in football and I want to save your money. I do not want anybody. Shakhtar can do it using its own reserves”.

Did he fascinate you?
Lucescu invited central defenders and said that the President is about to buy a player in this position for € 15 mill.. “But I believe in any of you and I dare to state that we do not need anyone”, Mister announced.   And he gave me to understand that Rakitsky is good enough to appear as a central defender despite the guy played as a left-winged defender in reserves. Before the away game against Club Brugge Lucescu asked me whom I would like to see as a pair for Kucher. Though, he has never asked such questions before. I responded: “Mister, I am not a coach”, but he went on persisting: “And still…Your idea?”

Chyzov was injured, and I would choose between Ishchenko and Lewandowski, who used to play in this position. “I will put Rakitsky, it is his chance”, Lucescu attained a verdict. It is not that I was hesitating, but I was just thinking aloud: the first game in the Euro Cup, and another thing it was an away match, the supporters’ pressure, you know, can he cope with such situation or not? Lucescu listened carefully and then said: “He will cope. The guy is daring and has got strong nerves. President, he will become a big player. Till this moment I am the only person who knows it, but tomorrow everybody will see it.”

He must have second sight?
That is right. Rakitsky substituted Chyhrynsky, having enhanced the prestige of our football Academy, and opened the new opportunities for its young players. He clinched the talks about impossibility to get from Academy to the first team.