Konyaspor v Shakhtar Donetsk background
Saturday, September 3, 2016
Article summary
Having led his side to a surprise third-placed finish in Turkey last season, Aykut Kocaman has the honour of leading Konyaspor in their maiden European fixture, against Shakhtar.
Article top media content
Article body
Surprise third-place finishers in the Turkish Süper Lig last season, Konyaspor embark on their debut European campaign with a home game against continental regulars Shakhtar Donetsk in UEFA Europa League Group H.
Previous meetings
• This is the clubs' first meeting and Konyaspor's maiden encounter with Ukrainian opposition.
• Shakhtar have won six of their seven matches against Turkish teams, drawing the other (W2 D1 away).
Form guide
• Shakhtar outwitted another Turkish side – İstanbul Başakşehir – 4-1 on aggregate in the play-offs to make the group stage. Last term they ran out 3-0 aggregate victors against Fenerbahçe in the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round.
• Winners in 2009, Shakhtar advanced through both of their previous UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League group stage campaigns.
Links and trivia
• The journey from Donetsk to Konya is around 1,200km.
• Shakhtar's Darijo Srna has played 140 UEFA club competition games, the highest total of any player in this season's UEFA Europa League. His nearest rival, Manchester United's Zlatan Ibrahimović, has made 128.
The coaches
• A striker celebrated for his chest-and-volley goals for Fenerbahçe, Aykut Kocaman started his second spell as Konyaspor coach in 2014. He was in charge at Fenerbahçe from 2010–13, lifting a league title and two Turkish Cups.
• Paulo Fonseca took the Shakhtar helm this summer after Mircea Lucescu moved on following 12 years in the post. His Braga side were eliminated by Shakhtar in last season's UEFA Europa League quarter-finals, but went on to land the Portuguese Cup.