FIGC President Gabriele Gravina confirms Shakhtar Donetsk coach Roberto De Zerbi and his Italian staff are still in Ukraine, even after the club’s Brazilian players were able to flee, as Junior Moraes reveals the tactician rejected ‘two opportunities to leave.’
The foreign players and their families had hunkered down in a hotel in Kiev when the Russian invasion began and were soon joined by the squad from their rival club Dynamo Kyiv as well.
According to the New York Times, the foreign players – most of them Brazilian – were placed on a train and have already reached the border with Poland.
However, the Italians including De Zerbi are still in Kiev amid reports of heavy bombardment from Russian forces expected tonight.
“The crisis in Ukraine is extremely worrying,” FIGC President Gravina told news agency ANSA.
“I thank the clubs, directors, players and coaches who are sending messages urging for peace. At this moment, UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin is working to help and is proving to be a great leader.
“The situation is critical and we can only hope there will soon be a ceasefire. We are in constant contact with De Zerbi and working to bring him back to Italy as soon as possible.”
In the New York Times article, Shakhtar Donetsk player Junior Moraes confirmed that De Zerbi and his Italian assistants refused to leave unless his players were taken care of first.
“They had two opportunities to leave us, and the coach said, ‘No, I stay here until the end.’”
Just got word that the train carrying the group of foreign Shakhtar and Dynamo Kyiv players, coaches and their families has just arrived at the border. They are thrilled. Some pictures of them boarding the train earlier. pic.twitter.com/JfmgnEPeab
— tariq panja (@tariqpanja) February 26, 2022