Shakhtar Donetsk travel to Dublin to play Shamrock Rovers in the Uefa Conference League on Thursday with political uncertainty surrounding the area they were originally based.
The majority of Donetsk in the eastern Donbas region of Ukraine is currently controlled by invading Russian forces, and was included to become part of Russia in draft negotiations with the United States last week, which were criticised by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
These days Shakhtar, one of the top two clubs in Ukraine along with Dynamo Kyiv, play their home games and train in Lviv on the western border with Poland, while most club operations are based in Kyiv, and they play their European games in Poland or Germany. It is a logistical nightmare, says club CEO Serhii Palkin.
“We are living in cars, buses and planes. For more than three years, we are living this kind of life. It’s difficult for the players and staff.”
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Shakhtar spent $400 million on the 52,187-seater Donbas Arena, which opened in 2009. It hosted Portugal against Spain during Euro 2012 but stands dormant since 2014, when the club were forced to move and when Palkin considers the real start of the war with Russia. Their average home attendance in 2025/26 is 2,617, down from 43,475 in 2012/13.
“We hope one day we will return. It is our dream. Let’s dream, because without dreams, it’s difficult to survive these kinds of circumstances,” he says.
Palkin says the club have felt unsupported by Fifa during the conflict, who invoked the federation’s Article 7 after Russia’s invasion, which allowed players and coaches to have the right to unilaterally suspend employment contracts in the outbreak of war. Several players departed and it left them with debts of more than €40 million, with the CEO left feeling frustrated Fifa treated them “the same as Russia”.
Shakhtar’s business model is heavily reliant on selling talented players, particularly Brazilians, to elite clubs across Europe. Fernandinho, Willian and Fred are just some that have joined Premier League clubs over the years for substantial fees. Shakhtar have the most Brazilian players of any club currently playing in European competitions. “It is our market,” says Palkin.
Marlon Santos is one such player who left after the Russian invasion to join Monza on loan, but has since returned to the club which he considers “like family”.
“I chose to go then because my family had a big trauma about the war, I needed time to be healthy and clear my mind, now my family feels more comfortable,” he said.
The experienced centre-back, who made three appearances for Barcelona, has played across the world, including against Lionel Messi, but now will face a different test against Rovers in Tallaght.
Marlon says there is a “beautiful collaboration” between Shakhtar and Brazilian players, and says that the Ukrainians make him feel very much at home, despite the cold weather.
Perhaps the next big star to follow Kevin to the Premier League, who joined Fulham for a club-record £34.6 million fee in January, will be Kauã Elias, a 19-year-old who signed from Fluminense last season. Taking advantage of bulking up in the off-season, he has scored five goals in nine European games this season so far.
Elias likes to model his game on Harry Kane, who is a “wonderful centre forward who can play outside of his main area” and he is ambitious for the future, with playing for the Brazil national team and in Europe’s top leagues on his radar.
“So far, I am only focusing on how I am performing for Shakhtar and thinking how I can do it even better,” he says.
“In my opinion, the English Premier League is the best football competition in the world. So, one day, playing there would be really a dream coming true. But first of all, I need to work really hard and to prove [to people I could play there] as a result of my dedication.”
Informed
Elias says that all Brazilians coming over to Shakhtar were informed about the war situation and the club is providing the best conditions for them to train, despite sometimes hearing attacks from the ongoing war.
“From my side, I want to show my best on the pitch and bring joy to everybody who is following us,” he says.
“I really hope that such difficult events will not affect my play[ing] style and I can assure that even all those difficulties that are surrounding us, I will be bringing my best performance in every possible game.”
Shakhtar Donetsk, managed by former Turkish star Arda Turan, are top of the Ukrainian league and have been Champions League regulars, so will expect smooth progress to the latter stages of Uefa’s third-tier Conference League. It is likely to be Rovers’ most difficult home game of the league phase against a side that likes to show off its Brazilian flair with players that “can create something special in attack”, according to Palkin.
Palkin says he expects a tough game against Shamrock Rovers, as both teams have obstacles - Rovers must deal with rustiness from their season ending a few weeks ago, while Shakhtar must deal with travel difficulties connected to the war. But he says that Irish teams are hard to beat because “character can beat talents and in this discipline, it is the most important trait of all”.
