Jose Anselmo Moreno |
Valladolid (EFE).- Roberto Corral from Valladolid is the only Spanish footballer who plays in the Ukrainian league, he recently accepted an offer from that country in the middle of the war and when recounting his experience for EFE, of just over two weeks, he assures that he lived moments of “distrust” at the option of playing in Ukraine, but that “dreams” move him and that gave him the necessary audacity although, once there, he found “more normality” than expected.
Since he was a child, when he arrived at the Real Valladolid youth academy, while still a ball boy, he dreamed of wearing the first team shirt and he achieved it, but in August 2021, when the market was close to closing, he had to leave the club against the excess of players in their demarcation (left side). It was a hard blow.
With a restless character, Roberto explained to EFE during those days of uncertainty, almost two years ago, that, as he hates boredom, what worried him the most was being “unemployed” since the squads were closed after terminating his contract in Valladolid. His anxiety was fleeting, he immediately dedicated himself to doing an internship from his physiotherapy studies and his agent urged him to study offers “wherever he was”.
Corral disputes the ball during a Ukrainian Premier League match, defending the colors of FC Metalist. EFE
The first was for Korona Kielce in the Polish League 1, where he played last season, and is currently a player for Metalist Karkiv, a Ukrainian club that should play in Kharkiv (its headquarters), but as it is one of the cities most affected by the war play in another city and behind closed doors.
Corral, 25, tells EFE by telephone that his signing began to take shape in February, when he returned to Spain after finishing his journey at the Korona. “So I wanted to free my mind, go back home and with my mind set on the summer market, but they contacted my agent (Bruno Pires) to comment that the Metalist needed to strengthen my position and they thought of me.”
At first, Roberto was confused. Players left there for the war and he had the possibility of going. Curious crossroads. However, he was interested when he heard the name of the team, one of the biggest in Ukraine, which played the Europa League from 2009 to 2016 and also played the Champions League in the 13/14 season, with players as well-known as “Papu” Gómez. .
The only thing that worried him was the situation in the country, because of the news he was hearing about the war, but through a phone call with members of the club he learned the reality of the Ukrainian league.
“They convinced me, they even gave me the opportunity to try for a week to calm down. I saw that everything was normal at the sporting level and the rest of the conditions compensated me, coming to the Ukrainian Premier League to continue gaining experience and resume was good for me, ”she says.
Regarding how the situation in the country is living, he assures that “normally” and, in this context, he points out that his life is calm, “like Spain or Poland, when I have been in recent months.”
“In the days that I have been in this region, I have not noticed any sign of alarm or fear in the people who are with me, and I was surprised from the first day by the calm that my companions had,” Corral emphasizes.
Regarding how his environment took it, he acknowledges that as every family would do, when they find out that there is a war in a country “and you say that you are going to go there”, at first they lived it “with concern”.
However, he points out that after having all the information, after “prior ignorance and media fear”, they accepted it and supported him.
1,300 kilometer(s) from Kharkov
As for the team, he assures that it is clear that it is a large entity, although he regrets having to work in other facilities that are not owned by the club and training 1,300 kilometers from Kharkov, which is where they have their 40,000-person stadium and the sports city.
He says that they are playing in Uzhgorod, “both Dnipro and us”. He also details that other teams have a specific sports area in different parts of the country where they train and play matches. For example, the Shaktar, in Lviv.
“This weekend, we have to go to Poltava to play against Vorslka, they are competing and living there,” he stresses.
He affirms that the colleagues welcomed him as one more member and that the customs are similar to the Polish ones, to which he was already adapted.
“The Ukrainian language is similar to Polish, although I miss that there are more people who speak English, but I speak it with those who know it and basic Polish with those who don’t,” adds Corral.
With whom he has a good relationship, also because of the language, is coach Perica Ognenovic, a former Real Madrid player, known at the time as “El Atomo” and who speaks fluent Spanish.
High level in the League
Finally, Roberto assures that the Ukrainian league is of a high level and that there are very good clubs, such as Shakhtar, Dnipro, Dinamo Kiev, Zorya Lugansk or his own Metalist.
“I made my debut against Shakhtar and they have been one of the best teams I’ve had in front of me,” says the player from Valladolid.
He regrets, however, that the competition is held behind closed doors and stresses the fact that there are several teams, like his, that are based in regions affected by the war and that have had to move to compete but, except That, “the league continues normal, without mishaps,” he says.
They recognize him on the street because Corral’s hyperactivity makes him move and soak up everything. When he is not training he goes to the gym, walks and is interested in the new culture that he has chosen to live. It was not an easy path, but dreams move him and… Roberto never stops dreaming. “If your dreams don’t scare you, they aren’t big enough.” EFE