As Uefa President, he is viewed critically in Germany, partly because of his Champions League reform. Can you explain that?
(smiles) When Germans look at you critically, that’s a good sign. That speaks for a strong character. For my part, I can say that I know that he cares about football, that he loves the sport. He has proven that through his commitment to Ukrainian clubs and players over the past few months. While associations like the DFB and Fifa ducked away, he was there, talking to us and keeping us alive. When I finally thanked him for all this in one of our conversations, he just looked at me questioningly and replied: “Darijo, what kind of president would I have been if I hadn’t done everything in my power to help you, your club and to help Ukrainian football?”
You’ve been at Shakhtar Donetsk for almost 20 years, during this time you’ve become the club’s record player, celebrated the 2009 Uefa Cup success as captain and collected countless national titles. You are said to have turned down transfers to Barcelona, Chelsea and Bayern during your playing career. Have clubs of this size approached you again in the past few weeks and tried to entice you away as an official?
Yes, there were calls. But I quickly and clearly made it clear to the people concerned that their offers would come to nothing. I belong to Shakhtar from head to toe. Shakhtar is my family. I am proud that I have remained loyal to Shakhtar all these years. I’m proud to be at Shakhtar’s side in this difficult situation – and I certainly won’t let the club down now.
After all these years, all the setbacks and dangerous situations, what keeps you at Shakhtar Donetsk?
When I came to Donetsk in 2003 as a 21-year-old, the people there not only opened their doors to me, but also their hearts. From the first moment you treated me like one of your own. When, as a young adult, you are 2,000 kilometers away from home for the first time in your life and you immediately feel so welcome, you will not forget it for the rest of your life.
How important is club president and owner Rinat Akhmetov in your love and life story with Shakhtar?
Rinat Akhmetov is a great person, a lover of football and his homeland, Ukraine. He has been in Donetsk since day one of the war and shares the suffering of his compatriots there. For him, leaving his city and country, as so many other wealthy Ukrainians have done at the first opportunity, is out of the question. He stays in Donetsk, keeps his factories and companies running and supports the Ukrainian people as much as he can. The commitment he has shown over the past few weeks and months has shown me that I was never wrong about this person. Seen in this way, this terrible time that we are currently going through has once again confirmed to me that it was the right decision to stay at Mr. Achmetov’s, at Shakhtar’s side all these years. It fills me with pride to call such a strong character, who would rather die standing for the right cause than live on his knees, my friend.