SHAKHTAR LEAD THE WAY AS FOOTBALL FIGHTS BACK

Shock, terror, dignity...and football. Despite the occupation of part of its territory and the ongoing aggression of Russia, a fully-fledged championship was completed in Ukraine

- Oleg Zadernovsky

"The 2022-23 season has become a real challenge for the Ukrainian Premier League (UPL)" said Andriy Pavelko, president of the Ukrainian Football Association (UAF).

"Matches were played when the war was raging in the country. But it will forever go down in world football history as an example of the true courage of all who took part in it" There is not the slightest bit of exaggeration in his words.

The war was gaining momentum and it seemed that the new season would not happen in Ukraine as 26 professional clubs, including top-flight sides Mariupol and Desna, announced they could not compete. But the country's leadership decided otherwise.

The start of the UPL became possible thanks to the political will of the President Volodymyr Zelensky.

In a full-scale war, security came to the fore. According to the Special Protocol, teams played behind closed doors and, during matches, players and all participants were ordered to immediately hide in bomb shelters in stadiums at the sound of an air alarm.