25.10.2025 15:10
Shakhtar Donetsk's head coach Arda Turan's decision to field a rotated squad against Legia Warsaw in the UEFA Conference League has caused a significant stir in Ukraine. Following Shakhtar's 2-1 defeat, legendary figure Myron Markevych directed harsh criticism towards the young coach.
In the second week of the UEFA Conference League, Shakhtar Donetsk, which lost 2-1 to Legia Warsaw, has become the focus of criticism due to Arda Turan's squad choices. The young coach's decision to field a bench-heavy eleven was deemed a "unnecessary risk" by the Ukrainian press and football authorities.
"NOT BEING ABLE TO CREATE A SINGLE GOAL OPPORTUNITY IS TERRIBLE"
Myron Markevych, one of the legendary coaches of Ukrainian football, criticized Shakhtar's playing style in a statement to Football24:
"It was terrible not to create a single goal opportunity throughout the match. Something completely absurd happened on the field in the last 15 minutes. No one is taking responsibility, no one is fighting. Everyone is just pretending to play."
"I DON'T UNDERSTAND ARDA TURAN'S INTENTIONS"
Markevych expressed that he could not comprehend Arda Turan's choice of a bench-heavy squad: "I don't understand Turan's intentions. Why didn't Dmytro Riznyk play in goal? I'm sure Dmytro wouldn't have conceded those two goals."
"HE NEEDS TO DECIDE ON THE STARTING XI"
The experienced coach pointed out Shakhtar's recent decline in performance and warned Arda Turan:
"After the matches against Beşiktaş, everyone thought Arda Turan brought a fresh air to the team, but they are playing worse with each match. Turan needs to decide on his ideal starting eleven now. Going onto the field with a different squad every week increases instability. Shakhtar is a team that should comfortably beat everyone in this league, but they have been conceding goals constantly lately. This is a problem."
DENSE CRITICISM FROM UKRAINIAN MEDIA
The Ukrainian media commented on Shakhtar's recent performances as "well below expectations." It was noted that Arda Turan's rotation move backfired in his first serious test in the European arena, while the coach's "tactical experiments" became the number one topic of discussion in the country's sports agenda.