Marlon felt that his story at Shakhtar remained incomplete. In the 2021/22 season, with the escalation of the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the Brazilian defender saw his time at the club come to an abrupt halt.
But right from the start, the Brazilian defender knew he needed to return to the Ukrainian club. Something that was not only on his mind. It was a feeling shared with his family.
"Right from the start, I saw the Ukrainian flag all the time, and when we talked about Shakhtar, my wife and I, even though there was all this external scenario, of war, we felt peace, we felt this desire to return. It was time to come back. Here we are, and we're very happy and fulfilled," Marlon Santos told Flashscore.
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"I even spoke to my manager: 'Man, as much as we talk to other clubs, our interest, our desire, our priority is always Shakhtar'."
"It's very pleasing to be able to return to a club where you've only been for a short time and which has a history of great Brazilian players, of being this gateway to European football," he added.
Resilience to write a new page
Marlon Santos played just 22 times in his first spell with Shakhtar. The memories of the moment that changed his recent career forever are still vivid.
"We Brazilians were together the whole time and, thank God, we left without any problems. The club helped us with accommodation. We stayed in a hotel for four days and slept there. We had something to eat and drink, of course. But in a war scenario, four days is like a month," he recalled.
"On the first day there was plenty of food. On the second day, supplies dwindled. On the third, supplies became even scarcer. And on the fourth, Junior Moraes (a former Shakhtar player) had to go out and buy something for the children. It was a very delicate moment. But the club is turning over a new leaf and is trying, through football, to bring a little relief to this still very difficult situation," the Brazilian told Flashscore.
For Marlon, one characteristic of the Ukrainian community that stands out in such gloomy times is resilience, which is noticeable from the players to the Shakhtar staff.
"One player showed me a video of a bomb falling 200 metres from his brother's flat. But in that conversation, he was still smiling, because he's sure that this scenario will change. Anyone who sees that image will be moved," he said.
"We also feel that pain together with them when an attack happens, when we know that people have been killed. But I believe and believe that football, at this time, also helps in a certain way, because it brings a bit of peace, joy and a smile," said the Brazilian defender.
Poland as a base and chasing a continental dream
With Ukrainian territory still under attack, the country's football has been forced to become nomadic. At the moment, the base is neighbouring Poland. Marlon told us a little about this experience, praising the great welcome from the Krakow community.
"It's great to be able to find such tranquillity in Poland. Last year, for example, the team was in Germany. I think the logistics were a little heavier. But having found a country that borders yours and that probably understands your culture better and is more in tune with your country helps a lot."
"Of course, it's not the same as playing at home. But due to this momentary setback, we believe this is the best possibility. We're also receiving the affection and warmth of our fans. We're always going to make every effort to be close to our fans and play our football," added the defender.
As well as playing in the Ukrainian league, where they are in third place, Shakhtar are dreaming of entering the Europa League. The team is in the third qualifying round against Panathinaikos. The first game, away from home, ended 0-0.
Next Thursday (14th), at 3pm, Shakhtar will host their Greek opponents in the fight to stay in the tournament. If they advance, the Ukrainian side will have to go through one more knockout round before securing their place in the league phase.
"This sequence is important for us. To play in a continental competition. It's a very young team, who are still getting to know the philosophy of the coach (former Turkish player Arda Turan), who is still assimilating, absorbing all the content that he transmits. Within that, so far the team has shown a personality and a very nice impact. And that gives us very positive expectations," he said.
