Football Legend Avoids Eye Contact with Reporter Married to Team Star

One of football's most uncomfortable post-match interviews occurred between a visibly uneasy manager and a glamorous reporter who is married to one of his key players.

Shakhtar Donetsk coach Arda Turan, who turned 39 last Friday (January 30), appeared hesitant to make eye contact while speaking to journalist Daria Bondar Savina. The club reporter conducted the interview following Shakhtar’s 4–2 away victory over Besiktas in the Europa League first leg—a result that contributed to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's dismissal from the Turkish club later in the tie.

The former Barcelona and Turkey midfielder answered questions from the 24-year-old reporter but seemed restless throughout the two-minute exchange, keeping his hands in his pockets and rarely looking directly at her.

Daria, wearing a short black dress that showed off her slender legs, received elaborate and detailed responses from Turan, who extended his replies to each of her questions.

Observers suggested that Turan’s avoidance of eye contact may reflect his commitment to his wife, Ashlihan Dogan Turan, whom he married in 2018 and with whom he shares two children.

Turan has also been noted for posing with female fans without physical contact—often extending his arm behind them during photos to maintain a respectful distance.

Meanwhile, Daria is married to Shakhtar defender Valeriy Bondar, 26, a product of the club’s academy who has earned six caps for the Ukrainian national team.

In a previous interview with Fostylen, Daria emphasized that her relationship with Bondar does not interfere with her professional duties, including when interviewing him.

She stated: “It’s not difficult at all—I feel no discomfort. Perhaps because I can separate roles, and at work I don’t see Valeriy as my husband, as odd as that may sound. Do we know everything about each other? Mostly, yes. But sometimes I feel our professional partnership helps us understand each other even better. We are more than husband and wife—we are best friends, colleagues, and lovers. It’s an indescribable bond.”