The PAOK Ukrainian midfielder Yevhen Shakhov replied to the questions of the fans in this WEEK'S INTERVIEW for the official website of Super League and pointed out that: "the goal I scored in the derby against Olympiacos is definitely a special moment. It's wonderful to be playing in a full Toumba in such a derby. And it's even better to be scoring a goal as well. Given this, our away win against Fiorentina is also special, but the feeling in Toumba cannot be compared with anything else."

The full interview:

What was the goal set by the club at the beginning of the season?

It was to go as higher as possible in all competitions the team participates in. This should always be the goal for a great club such as PAOK. We knew that essentially this is a new squad with many new players – I am one of these new players – that need to adjust, however, the goal is to always aim for the best.

Question by Nikos Ragatsis

What do you think of your progress as a player of PAOK and what are your expectations from the fans?

I am very happy in PAOK and I believe that last summer I made the right decision. I want to help my team and whenever I play, I give my best on the pitch in order to help the team win. I believe that we will see even better things in the future.

As regards the fans, our only "demand" is that we ask them to be by our side and support us both in good and bad moments. We cannot complain. We know they are demanding, but we are equally demanding with ourselves.

Question by Manolis Mandaras

With which of your teammates do you hang out the most?

Because of my mother tongue, it's easier to communicate with Léo Matos, also my teammate in Dnipro therefore we know each other well. Given this, I believe that we are all companions in the dressing room. We have fun, talk and support each other. The inner situation in the team is very good.

Question by Vassilis Katsaros

Which of your teammates works harder in training?

I would not set someone apart because this would be unfair to the rest! All players work hard in training in order to be ready every time we enter the pitch.

Question by Stavros Vargemezis

What is your favourite moment as a player of PAOK?

The goal I scored in the derby against Olympiacos is definitely a special moment. It's wonderful to be playing in a full Toumba in such a derby. And it's even better to be scoring a goal as well. Given this, our away win against Fiorentina is also special, but the feeling in Toumba cannot be compared with anything else.

Question by Panayotis Konstantinidis

Do you believe that PAOK team will manage to win the Cup?

Our big goal is to do our best in order to achieve this. We want to achieve something important for PAOK and winning a title is always especially significant. In particular given that PAOK has not celebrated a Cup in many years. Of course, no one can guarantee you will be successful in football. Four of the country's best teams participate in the semi-finals and each team has a chance to be successful.

Question by Alexandros Dimitriadis

You played in the same team (Dnipro) for many years. How difficult was it to adjust to Greek championship and PAOK? Is it easy for a player to be changing championships after so many years?

No, it is not easy. In modern football, transfers are very common, but change is always difficult. In particular in my case because this was the first time I was leaving Ukraine.

I had to adjust to the new conditions and the new playing style as soon as possible. Greek football is strong, with more individual battles, in particular in midfield where you have very few time playing the ball before you are challenged by an opponent.

In general I feel lucky because everyone in PAOK welcomed me in the best possible way. Both in the dressing room as well as everyone surrounding the team. The club operates based on utterly professional standards and provides the players with any possible assistance.

Question by Vassilis Xirokostas

How happy are you with your transfer to PAOK?

Very happy. As I said before, I believe I made the best possible career choice. I feel very well in PAOK. We have a really good team which can achieve many things. Also, through PAOK, I was called to play for the Ukraine National Team and in fact debuted with it.

Question by Ilias Kyrginas

What do you think of the atmosphere in Greek stadia? What are, in your opinion, the differences between Greek and Ukrainian fans?

Greeks are more passionate about football. The atmosphere in the stadium is… hotter. Fans actively participate in the match, live it to the extreme. This is something I really like. We also enjoy football more this way because if you come to think about it, there is no football without fans.

Question by Leonidas Serepas

What do you think of life in Thessaloniki?

Thessaloniki is a very beautiful city. The climate is very good – in particular for me that I was used to more extreme weather conditions – and people are very friendly. Everyone welcomed me in the best possible way and living conditions in Thessaloniki are definitely one of the reasons I feel good in PAOK. It is important for a player to be feeling well when not on the pitch.

THE WINNER OF THE DRAW FOR THE SIGNED SOUVENIR BY YEVHEN SHAKHOV, OFFERED BY FC PAOK, IS MR ILIAS KYRGINAS.