Shakhtar midfielder Taras Stepanenko gave an interview to the official website of UEFA.

On February 21, Shakhtar will meet Roma in the first leg of the 1/8 finals of the Champions League.

On the eve of the match with the European press, the midfielder of "miners" Taras Stepanenko.

- What is the game for you in the Champions League today?.

- Today for me it is an opportunity to show that Shakhtar is in good standing in the European football family, that in Ukraine, too, there is football, despite the fact that the level of the championship, of course, decreased. We try to keep the brand of FC Shakhtar and the brand of Ukraine as a country. Therefore, every time we enter the field, we give 100%.

At the same time, it is an opportunity for every player to show off and try to get into the top European championship. Now, unfortunately, the scouts of European clubs do not follow the Ukrainian championship very closely. Only if you play in the Champions League, in European competition, for the national team. Therefore, if someone has a desire and ambition to play in top clubs, top championships, one must show oneself in the Champions League.

- In 2011, Shakhtar beat Roma in the 1/8 finals with a total score of 6-2, you saw everything from the bench. What do you remember about those matches and do you think Shakhtar is the favorite in the confrontation with Roma today?.

- I remember that on the road we beat Roma 3: 2. At the same time, when they went to play in Rome, Roma had an incomprehensible situation with investors, changed the coach, in the team some kind of confusion. Because it was we who were considered favorites. In principle, we won then deserved both in the game and in the account. At the moment, Roma - a stable club with very qualified players and a young ambitious coach. In my opinion, today's Roma is stronger than.

- How much did Roma change after Totti retired?.

- It is clear that Francesco Totti is the legend of the club, but recently he played more from the bench, he did not go out on the field so often. I think that he maintained the level and emotional mood in the locker room, held a team in training. Who now took control levers in the team, it's hard for me to say, but the presence of a strong team clearly shows that they left the group from the first place and are fighting for the championship in the series A.

This is your sixth draw of the Champions League. How would you rate the team's play this season?.

- For many it was a surprise that we left this group from the second place. They achieved not only a good result, but also showed a good game. This is noted by experts in Ukraine and Europe, we hear that now the names of many of our players are rumored that the name of the head coach appears in some media in the news related to other clubs. This suggests that Shakhtar showed very good football, which to taste and Europe.

- How far can Shakhtar go in this Champions League?.

- It's hard to guess. At this stage of the tournament teams play very high level, and the further, the harder it will be. It's hard to predict something. I, for example, in my career reached the semi-finals of the Europa League, and it was impossible to guess how you will play in any of the following matches. It does not matter what kind of opponent you got, because at these stages there are only two games, and even after one you can already fly out.

Therefore, here it is necessary to go from match to match and watch how the team will look during the season, what football shows, what results, and start from this already. You can talk a lot and then do not, and this, of course, is wrong.

Earlier on the eve of the match with Roma comments gave the head coach of the Miner Paulo Fonseca.