Paulo Fonseca has opened up on ‘the worst day of his life’ with the former Roma boss and his family stranded in Ukraine.
The Portuguese coach was in Kyiv with his Ukrainian wife Katerina Ostroushko and their young son, when Russian troops invaded the country.
Officials in Ukraine have claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin has “launched a full-scale invasion” with attacks reported across the country.
Fonseca, who managed Shakhtar Donetsk between 2016 and 2019 had hoped to return to Portugal via an early-morning flight, only for all flights to be grounded with the 48-year-old claiming airports have been destroyed.
Martial law has already been declared in Ukraine with many in the country’s capital attempting to leave the city.
“I woke up at five in the morning with five explosions in a row,” Fonseca told Jornal de Noticias.
“I had a flight scheduled for today, but now it is impossible to leave here, not least because the airports are already destroyed and the airspace has been closed.
“This is the worst day of my life. Now it’s time to wait and be lucky. And pray that a bomb doesn’t fall on us.”
Katerina had a child with Fonseca in 2019 and issued an emotional message saying ‘the children of Ukraine do not deserve the war’.
“Worst morning ever. Pain. Anger, anger, anger and pain,” Katerina wrote on her Instagram account. “My little son didn’t deserve the war. The children of Ukraine did not deserve the war.”
Meanwhile, a number of Brazilian players currently plying their trade in the Ukrainian top flight have issued a message to their government whilst holed up in a Kyiv hotel.
Shakhtar striker Junior Moraes sent a message saying: “The situation is one of despair. I ask you to disclose this video so that it reaches the [Brazilian] government.
“Borders are closed, banks [are shut], there is no fuel, there will be a shortage of food, there is no money. We are gathered waiting for a plan to leave Ukraine.”
As a result of the conflict UEFA are set to announce that St Petersburg will lose hosting privileges of this year’s Champions League final.
An extraordinary meeting of the Executive Committee has been called for Friday morning when confirmation of a change of venue is expected.
A statement released by UEFA on Thursday read: “UEFA shares the international community’s significant concern for the security situation developing in Europe and strongly condemns the ongoing Russian military invasion in Ukraine.
“As the governing body of European football, UEFA is working tirelessly to develop and promote football according to common European values such as peace and respect for human rights, in the spirit of the Olympic Charter.
“We remain resolute in our solidarity with the football community in Ukraine and stand ready to extend our hand to the Ukrainian people.
“We are dealing with this situation with the utmost seriousness and urgency. Decisions will be taken by the UEFA Executive Committee and announced tomorrow.”
