Bartulovic: We should have beaten Shakhtar

Kharkiv manager Mladen Bartulovic reflected on his team's 1-0 defeat against Shakhtar Donetsk in the UPL. While disappointed with the early conceded goal, the coach praised the resilience shown by his players for the remainder of the match.

We did not start the game focused and conceded in the first minute. However, I can only thank the team for what they did afterward. I am proud of how they played. We should have won this match.Mladen Bartulovic

Bartulovic expressed strong dissatisfaction with the refereeing, specifically citing a challenge by Nazarina inside the Shakhtar penalty area. He argued that the incident warranted a penalty and a card for a dangerous foul, regardless of whether the player touched the ball.

The manager also addressed an altercation that occurred near the locker rooms, criticizing the behavior of Shakhtar's Elias. Bartulovic emphasized that young players must show respect toward opponents and staff, regardless of the country they are playing in.