Brazilian soccer players in Ukraine ask for help: ‘We can’t get out of here’ | The conflict in Ukraine

Traditionally, the top Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk employs a large number of Brazilians. There are currently 12 Brazilians under contract with the club, which has not played football at its home ground for several years due to tensions in the Donetsk region.

The Brazilian Shakhtar players are currently staying with their families in a hotel in the capital, Kiev, where they were also joined by their compatriot Vitinho, who plays for Dynamo Kiev.

David Neres, who only moved to Shakhtar last winter after a few years at Ajax, posted a video on his Instagram page in which players are asking for help.

“The borders are closed and all flights canceled. We are stuck here and cannot get out. We are asking for the support of the Brazilian government,” he wrote in the video.

Also present at the same hotel: Roberto de Zerbe, coach of Shakhtar Donetsk, Italy. De Zerbe told Italian media earlier today how the bombing woke him up last night.

“It’s not a nice day,” de Zerbe said. “I was sitting in my hotel room the whole time.” “I had been wishing for a while that the federation would stop the competition and now it has happened.”

“Together with my staff and 13 Brazilians, we are now stuck in a hotel. We could have probably gone home earlier, but decided to stay. Last night we suddenly woke up from the bombings.”

“Now we hope that the government and the embassy will help us. I remain optimistic.”