Shakhtar Donetsk goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk has insisted their Europa Conference League semi-final against Crystal Palace is not over yet.
Football 24 report comments from the goalkeeper today following the 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace on Thursday evening.
Crystal Palace in pole position
Oliver Glasner’s side took a giant step towards the final of the Europa Conference League on Thursday with an impressive 3-1 win over the Ukrainian side in Poland.
Goals from Ismaila Sarr, Daichi Kamada and Jorgen Strand Larsen handed the Eagles a comfortable lead heading into the second leg at Selhurst Park next week.
The Premier League side will expect to progress to the final, but Riznyk is having none of that talk for now.
“They probably already think they’re in the final – let’s see,” he said.
“We’ll play. Nothing’s lost yet. Let’s draw conclusions so that we can play better in the next game.”
The goalkeeper, who was a key player in the game and helped keep the scoreline as it was, was then asked if the team had the ‘resources’ left for a comeback. He was adamant that they do.
“Of course. We have very difficult matches in the championship ahead of us now,” he added.
“We have to give it our all. At the same time, vacation is coming soon – we will rest there.”
Conference League final in sight
Crystal Palace, though, are ending the season strongly. They appear to have put the drama around Oliver Glasner to bed to focus fully on European glory.
With no danger of relegation in the Premier League either, they can focus fully on being fit and firing for the Europa Conference League games remaining.
Unlike Shakhtar, they don’t appear to have their priorities split. And that is perhaps why there is confidence across the board that they’ll be making the final at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig, even if that seems to annoy Riznyk.
The goalkeeper may be facing Crystal Palace again next season, with Leeds United seriously interested.
