Shakhtar Donetsk entered the Uefa Conference League semi‑final against Crystal Palace in Krakow while juggling logistics few clubs could imagine. An 18‑hour bus trek to Kyiv, closed Ukrainian airspace and a return flight to London for the second leg have become routine, sporting director Darijo Srna warned. Their resilience mirrors a club that has never let displacement erase its identity.

Ahead of Sunday’s derby with Dynamo Kyiv, the Ukrainian champions have already navigated a grueling knockout path, edging Lech Poznan 4‑3 on aggregate and dispatching AZ Alkmaar 5‑2. Coach Arda Turan, a former Atletico midfielder, hopes a second European trophy will lift a nation battered by war, offering a rare moment of collective joy amid constant hardship.

Shakhtar’s model of polishing Brazilian talent persists despite FIFA’s 2022 wartime ruling that let players leave for free, which stripped the squad of 14 personnel. The club’s £89 million sale of Mykhailo Mudryk to Chelsea underscored the financial stakes, yet Turan still fields 12 Brazilians and plans more arrivals. Their continued pursuit of silverware proves the team can thrive without its historic home.