Jean-François Pérès 9:20 a.m., February 23, 2023
This Thursday evening, the Rennes club receives Shakhtar Donetsk in the Europa League.
Despite the war, this prestigious Ukrainian club continues its matches and its training sessions, far from its supporters in Donetsk and Donbass.
But how has the club been organized since the beginning of the Russian invasion in the country?
This Thursday evening, at 9 p.m., Rennes hosts Shakhtar Donetsk in the Europa League play-off return match.
Despite the war, this Ukrainian team continues its training and matches.
But how does this club, which 15 years ago was one of the most prestigious in Eastern Europe, organize itself?
A nomadic club since the beginning of the war
The fate of Shakhtar Donestsk changed in 2014, when the Donbass war began between pro-Russian separatists and forces loyal to kyiv.
His stadium is bombarded, we have to flee Donetsk.
Direction the capital, where the club finds a training center.
For the matches, it is more complicated: the "minors", as they are nicknamed, successively find refuge in Lviv, Kharkiv, then in kyiv.
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Despite the incessant and exhausting journeys, the Shakhtar maintains its status, in particular thanks to its extremely wealthy owner who has not let it go despite the difficulties.
As for the European Cups, for obvious security reasons, the club receives in Poland.
This is where Rennes lost 2 goals to 1 last week.
When Shakhtar may be caught up in the vicissitudes of history, it is nonetheless a very competitive team that is now the pride of all Ukrainians.