Lluis Cortes who helped Ukraine women reach their first international tournament win has come out to speak of how difficult it was fleeing Ukraine amid Russia’s invasion. The manager said it was “difficult to understand” when less than 48 hours earlier he was celebrating a historic victory with the women’s national team.
Lluis Cortes led Ukraine to the Turkish Women’s Cup victory – their first international tournament win on 22 February. Two days later Russia launched a military assault on Ukraine. He said: “The night before the war started, we went to Kyiv to have dinner and everything was normal,” he said. The 35-year-old Spanish manager, who guided Barcelona to a Women’s Champions League, Spanish league, and cup treble last season, was made Ukraine woman’s head coach in November.
Lluis Cortes said, “big things” are wanted from the national women’s team, which he saw as an “interesting project” after his success with the Catalan club. “We won the Turkish Women’s Cup and it was the first time that the Ukrainian women’s national team won something.” “Only two days after these incredible feelings, the war started in their country. It was very difficult for me to understand”
Both he and their fitness coach Jordi Escura took 55 hours to escape Ukraine, going from Kyiv to Przemysl in Poland via road and rail. He said it was a “chaotic and crazy situation” but knows they are “very lucky” to flee the conflict while members of his team remain in the country.
Cortes said his journey out was aided by football authorities in Spain and Poland, speaking about that he said for him football saved his life.
He said he is in contact with the Ukrainian football association, the government, also some associations of Ukrainian people here in Spain who are collecting medicines, clothes, and food to take to Ukraine as well.