Shakhtar Donetsk have spent a decade in exile, bombed out of their home by Russian forces.
A football club on one of the first Ukrainian frontlines to fall, now they are hoping to symbolise their nation’s resolve and resilience as the country continues to fight off Russian forces.
Shakhtar kicked off the new Champions League campaign as Ukraine’s team – playing in the blue and yellow of the flag in a 0-0 draw against Bologna.
The trip to Italy is a respite from the constant fear and danger back home.
“We are living in a unique situation,” club chief executive Serhii Palkin told Sky News.
“It’s very important to participate in European competition because we want to show to the whole world, and to our Ukrainian population that we are alive, that football is alive in Ukraine,” he added.
Ukraine is too dangerous for visiting teams, meaning European matches this season will be played in Germany.
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They are using the Gelsenkirchen stadium of Schalke, which coincidentally had lost a key source of funding when the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022 as they were sponsored by Russian energy giant Gazprom.
But the Ukrainian league does still play on in areas under Kyiv’s control despite the constant fear of coming under Russian bombardment.
Stadiums are largely empty and players are often forced to scramble into shelters mid-match.
But there is now even fear over where the teams are staying off the pitch.
A hotel Shakhtar were due to stay in ahead of a Ukrainian Premier League match in August, in the central city of Kryvyi Rih, was bombed by Russia and completely destroyed.
“Can you imagine for players how they are thinking, they should have stayed there,” Mr Palkin said. “If the attack had been three days later it would have been catastrophic.
He continued: “And for them, for their families, it’s quite difficult mentally to overcome this problem in the head because they should concentrate on football.
“But they have to concentrate on how to save their lives. And for us as a club, it’s priority number one to save their lives.
“To run a local competition in a good way and in a safe way is the most important and the most difficult.”
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That now means keeping movements and where they are staying under wraps – fearing information could fall into Russian hands.
“I’m not telling anybody the place and the name of hotel because I don’t want to have some kind of manipulation,” Mr Palkin said. “Everything we are keeping secret.”
There is no indication the team could be intentionally targeted but there is the fear.
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“Nobody knows because I don’t know what they have in the head,” Mr Palkin said. “They already crossed all the red lines. They don’t care if they kill children, journalists, soldiers, civilian populations, they don’t care.
“It’s difficult to predict what the next steps will be… and to keep our team in a safe position.”
