Nazaryna: Shakhtar Are Braced for Tougher Season and Want Winning Start

In an interview with the club's press service, Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Yegor Nazaryna discussed the team's preparation and what he expects from the new Ukrainian Premier League season. Nazaryna said the training camp was intense, with a lot of hard running and a solid foundation laid ahead of the competitive fixtures. He believes the new league campaign will be even tougher than the previous one, which is why the squad took preparation so seriously. At the same time, he admitted there is still work to do, both physically and mentally, before Shakhtar can be completely satisfied. The midfielder explained that this is already his third preseason under Arda Turan, so he knows the coach's demands and methods well. The final friendly match stood out, though: Shakhtar faced a very strong opponent in a full stadium, with nearly 45,000 fans backing the other side. Nazaryna thinks the staff deliberately created that atmosphere to give the team a taste of what awaits in the Champions League. Looking at the league opener, Nazaryna wants to see good football and a positive result above all. A strong start is always important, he said, and Shakhtar want to open the championship with a win and three points on the board. He also admitted the players have missed their fans and are looking forward to seeing them at the stadium again. On a personal level, Nazaryna stressed that his main job is to help Shakhtar as much as possible, but the team always comes first. The priority is clear: win the Ukrainian title. In the Champions League, Shakhtar aim to reach the knockout rounds and go as far as possible. The Ukrainian Cup is also on the list, especially after the team fell short last season. Shakhtar begin their UPL campaign against Kudrivka on Monday, August 3, with kickoff at 18:00.