Lucescu: Shakhtar ready for hardest fight

Mircea Lucescu is preparing Shakhtar Donetsk for “the hardest fight” when they face Sevilla in the Europa League semi-finals on Thursday.

The first leg in Ukraine ended 2-2, with away goals from Vitolo and Kevin Gameiro handing the defending champions a slender advantage heading into the return match at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.

Shakhtar coach Lucescu acknowledged the experience Sevilla possess through their players and coach Unai Emery mean they will pose staunch opposition.

“Tomorrow the hardest fight awaits us. Sevilla do not have young players, they have experienced players who have been at a number of leading clubs,” said Lucescu.

“At the head of the team is a strong coach who studies the opponent and is very good at posing his game.

“Let’s see how the game will develop. The match will provide a lot of options so we will see how we will play.”

Taras Stepanenko, who scored Shakhtar’s second goal in the first encounter in Lviv, added: “When it comes to the semi-final of a big tournament, of course, each player and coach has the idea that they should go to the end and try to do everything possible to win the trophy.

“It is in this spirit we will play tomorrow. We have nothing to lose, we can only gain.”