Efim Konoplya: I would like Fabrizio Romano to write about me

Shakhar's defender Efim Konoplya spoke to Terrikon.com before the home game against Barcelona in the Champions League:

- I am very annoyed and sad that I will not be able to help the team in this match, but I will try my best to support Shakhtar. The yellow cards probably could have been avoided, but I tried to play hard, and when you play hard, in some moments you can go too far and that’s why it happened. Before leaving for Hamburg, they asked me if I wanted to be with the team, I answered that I wanted to support the boys. Of course, I would like to be at home with my family at this time, but I decided that at this moment being close to the team is more important.

- How different will the match in Hamburg be from the game that took place in Barcelona?
– I think, radically different. There will be a lot of our fans here, as there were at the match with Porto. We felt their support, and plus this is our "home" stadium.

- And in tactical terms, what kind of game do you expect from Barcelona, ​​given that their team leaders have recovered and returned to the lineup?
– We prepared well for this match. Of course, we will build on our game. Let's not change our game to 5 defenders or anything else. We will show our strongest qualities.

- Last year you played with Real Madrid in UCL, this year you play against Barcelona. Usually, after such matches, players say that they have gained invaluable experience. What did the matches against such giants give you personally?
- In such matches, first of all, we test ourselves and see what we are capable of at the level of these clubs and these players. It is this difference that is important to notice, and then you even think that you can do more. And if you play against such teams on equal terms, and in some moments you look even better - it gives you confidence. For example, in the match against Barça I played against Joao Felix and really didn’t give him much to do up front. It was hard, but these are the kinds of challenges I was talking about. He is a top player who at one time was worth 120 million euros. And against the backdrop of such players, you can challenge yourself and feel whether you can pull it off or not.

- This year there is much less talk about difficult logistics, but in fact it has not gone away. This time, another logistics point was added to the route to Hamburg. How does this affect physical condition, does it affect well-being and, as a result, affect the game?
– Yes, it really affects how you feel. If you ask any person after traveling by bus, which lasted 8-10 hours, everyone will answer that it is difficult. Your back and legs are numb, your head or stomach hurt. Usually you feel very tired after the road trip and in this very short period of time we need to recover and approach the game in best condition, but this is not always possible.

- Let's talk about the new coaching staff. They been working for about two weeks now. All of the players note positive changes. But I would like specifics. For example, how it was - how it became. First in football terms, and then in everyday life.
- Yes, there are a lot of changes in football terms. We started playing more through the middle, more through short passes and thus putting pressure on the opponent. This is not always possible, but we try and sooner or later we will succeed very well. And in everyday life, they gave me a little more freedom. We are required to give a thousand percent on the football pitch during training, to do and remember everything that the coach tells us. But in our free time we can do whatever we want. For example, we now have the opportunity to spend a little less time at the training base. Previously, we had mandatory lunches before training, but now there is no such thing. And new coaches made a more free schedule for meals, it doesn’t have to be minute to minute, as it was before. You can do it a little earlier, a little later, whatever suits you.

- Regarding communication with new coach, how regular and personal is it?
- Our coach communicates with all the players, he is interested in the opinion of each player. For example, in game moments or even everyday ones. He may ask: Is this convenient for you? Maybe you don't like it? What's the best way to proceed? – both in everyday life and on the pitch. And we really like the way he communicates with the players. He asks questions and wants to hear answers. I think this way it’s easier for him to understand what’s in our heads.

- Can you give an example of your personal conversation with Marino Pusic?
– For example, when he just arrived to the team before the first Barcelona game and there was a lot of information that he wanted to give and tell us, but there simply wasn’t enough time. And he personally explained to the players the game moments that he wants to see. There is a photo from a training session where the three of us are standing, also with Azarov, and at this moment we are listening to his instructions.

- Despite the fact that the team already has a new head coach, Darijo Srna remains in the team. Is he a kind of intermediary between the coach and the team?
- I think yes. Darijo helps Marino to get to know the team. He knows us all much better and that is his role - to help the coaching staff get to know the players and get to know them faster and better.

- Before the Ukrainian Cup match with Victoria, you said that the team is now only 25 percent showing the game that you would like to see. Now, how much has this percentage changed?
- Maybe something has changed, because we are a little better at breaking the pressure and we did this many times in the game against Dynamo, but in the final third we are still not very good at finding the last pass, or creating dangerous moments. But we are working on this and I’m sure it will only get better.

- Press calls you the Ukrainian Dani Alves, but who in European football is the most interesting for you to watch?
- I really like Trent Alexander-Arnold from Liverpool and Reece James from Chelsea. Unfortunately, he hasn’t played recently because he was injured. These are the two players I like the most. And when they compare me with someone else, I don't mind. But only my wife, relatives and God have the right to judge me.

- After every Champions League match, the European media writes a lot about Heorgy Sudakov. How do the team react to this?
- We're joking about it. Someone writes that they want to sell him for 40 million euros. And after an unsuccessful action in the training, we tell him that his price tag is actually 40 million hryvnas. He usually laughs back.

- Do you want Fabrizio Romano to write about you too?
- Maybe yes. It's nice when such a famous person in the world of football writes about you. I would like to, but if he doesn’t write, I won’t be upset. This is not the most important thing for me.

- When you are on the national team, I have seen more than once that you are often together with Mykhailo Mudryk. After his departure from Shakhtar, how often do you communicate?
- In fact, we communicate more directly in the national team and mainly about some everyday issues, rather than football topics. For example, we like to talk about cars and tennis. Although he talks more about tennis with Sudakov, we still talk more about cars.

- And does he tell you that it’s time to move to some European championship?
- No, he doesn’t tell me. He doesn't really believe in me (laughs).

- Have you even set yourself the goal of moving to Europe?
- It’s like a childhood dream that is still with me. But now I am completely focused on my performances at Shakhtar, on getting results for this team, which I love very much, because this is my home club, where I have been since I was 8 years old.

- If you imagine it, which championship and clubs would you like to join?
- Barcelona or Man City.