Legia: FTC has also financially benefited from my selling – Ihor Kharatin

– Are you in Warsaw?
– In Kyiv right now – answered Ihor Kharatin, the 26-year-old Ukrainian midfieler who signed with Legia Warszawa from Ferencváros last week. – I was in the national team, and although I didn't play, the new head coach, Oleksandr Petrakov was curious about me.

– How long are you staying at home?
– My wife and I are going to Poland on Wednesday, and I have to attend my first training on Thursday.

– Why Legia?
– I've made a difficult decision. I had several offers, but I don't want to talk about those anymore. I respect my contract with Legia; now I'm just focusing on my time in Poland. I think Legia is the perfect place to improve and find new challenges.

– Was it really you who wanted to leave?
– The switch had several components to it. Let's not forget that Ferencváros has financially benefited from my selling, and it was important to me as well. I made the decision with a heavy heart, so I find it hard for me to talk about it... My contract with Fradi would've expired a year later, and I committed myself to my new Polish club until the summer of 2024. I felt it was time for a change. I can test my skills in a new country, in a new league, in a new club.

– You've won three league titles with Ferencváros, reached the group stage of the Champions League and the Europa league in three years. What are you most proud of?
– Maybe when we advanced to the Champions League group stage. When I signed for Hungary at the time, there was the only thing before my eyes. Before I signed my contract, we talked a lot about this with the leaders of Ferencváros. The club had a clear goal in getting in the Champions League main draw. I'm proud that after twenty-five years we succeeded again. But I also think it's a great achievement that we've been champions for three seasons in a row. It's not easy to do anywhere. It's hard to win the league title, but maybe defending it (especially twice) is even harder. And let's not forget that I've become a Ukrainian national team player in the meantime. I made my debut against Germany, and then there was the clash against the Polish, the French and the Spanish. Not a bad list. I hope the end is far from over.

– Do you have a favorite match from your time in Ferencváros? Maybe the battle against Juventus or FC Barcelona, or one of the clashes against Mezőkövesd?
– Let's stick to Champions League matches... We played very good football in the away match against Juventus; I will never forget that night. The closest to my heart is probably the 90 minutes in Barcelona, because even though we lost 5-1, one doesn't score against the Catalans on a daily basis. I remember posting a picture from Camp Nou on my social media page eight months prior the game, and it never occurred to me that I would soon be playing there in a stakes match and even scoring a goal.

– In three years, you've probably made a lot of friends at Ferencváros. Who do you miss the most?
– I've had a good relationship with my teammates, so I can't say anything bad about anyone. At first, I didn't speak much English, but I started learning the language, and I got the hang of the conversation. I've made friends with a lot of guys, but most of all, I'm going to miss Lasa Dvali and Myrto Uzuni.

– Have you already met your new teammates?
– Not yet. When I was in Warsaw last week for a medical examination, I underwent some tests, and after signing the contract, we took some pictures with my new jersey on the pitch. I haven't met the players; I'll be introduced on Thursday.

– Do you have any message for the Ferencváros fans?
– I always think of them with a good heart. After I found out I was leaving, I got a lot of messages from them, and it was impossible to read them all, let alone answer them. They created an atmosphere at the Groupama Aréna that I'll never forget. I'll take the memories with me. Then who knows, maybe one day I'll return to Hungary, to Ferencváros.

Translated by Vanda Orosz