Nicolini ahead of Inter clash: Shakhtar’s journey between war and football

Shakhtar set off in the morning to reach Milan and only arrived in the evening: a coach journey to Poland, a flight and security checks punctuate their European away trips. It is one of the obstacles Carlo Nicolini described in his interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera ahead of today’s match at San Siro. Arda Turan’s assistant is pleased to face an Italian side again, but stresses how heavily the working conditions affect the preparations of Inter’s opponents.

The Italian’s ties with the club date back to 2004, when he arrived alongside Lucescu. Shakhtar’s official website also recounts his return in September 2020 as assistant to sporting director Darijo Srna and his appointment to Turan’s staff in May 2025. In the interview, Nicolini recalls the eight league titles and the 2009 UEFA Cup won under Lucescu: achievements that reflect the ambitions nurtured before the war.

24 February 2022 remains the turning point in his account. Alongside De Zerbi, he decided not to leave Ukraine until all the players were safe. His decision to continue working with Shakhtar also stems from the grief he shares with players who have lost family members: for Nicolini, staying means being someone they can turn to and protecting the space for hope that football can offer.

Rescheduled training sessions, interrupted matches and dashes to bunkers also make planning uncertain. The team have been away from Donetsk since 2014; their training ground is now in Lviv, and even home European fixtures require trips abroad. Ahead of the Inter match, Nicolini describes a job involving constant adjustments, with the aim of drawing motivation from difficulties that affect preparation and concentration.

Carlo Nicolini, interview with Corriere della Sera «These are difficulties we accept. We know they exist and we do not use them as an excuse.»