The White-Blues’ newcomer Angel Torres has shared his impressions upon joining FC Dynamo Kyiv.
- You’ve already spent about a week in Ukraine. Do you like it here?
- I really do. Great impressions of the team. I want to stay here as long as possible.
- You’ve been training with the team for some time. How does Ukrainian football differ from Colombian, Portuguese, Maltese and Australian?
- Ukraine is on higher level in terms of organization and discipline than Malta or Australia. Ukrainian football is closer to Portuguese in this regard.
- Have you already attended any games?
- I’ve watched a lot of games on TV, but I haven’t attended yet. Yet I already have some understanding of the level of Ukrainian football. I like it more than leagues where I used to play.
- You hadn’t had a contract with any club since last summer… How did you maintain your shape?
- For the last six months I worked individually with personal coach with major focus on fitness.
- You’re versatile player who used to perform in a number of positions. Which one is your favorite?
- I feel most comfortable as right winger, but I totally can play in the left side as well. I can perform in any attacking position.
- Some Ukrainian journalists compare you with young Andrii Yarmolenko. What do you think of that?
- I already know about the achievements of Andrii Yarmolenko and I know how important he is for Ukrainian football. But I don’t want to compare myself with anyone. I want to build my own career.
- You won the UEFA Youth League with Porto. Do you know that Dynamo academy is one of the best in the world and that a lot of Dynamo trainees play in Europe?
- Yes, I’ve heard about Dynamo academy and I think very highly of it. I know that the club has a very well-built structure, good conditions for young talents, so new players are constantly emerging who reach heights in professional football. Even in Australia, I had the opportunity to see the trainees of Dynamo academy.
- You moved to Portugal from Colombia when you were 18. Was it a good decision for your career?
- When I found out there was an opportunity to join such a famous club, I started getting ready, learned the language. It was a chance I grabbed.
- Now it’s time to learn Ukrainian. Do you know any words already?
- I know some everyday phrases like greetings. I really like Ukrainians.
- You’ve had your ups and downs. You won the Australian league with Central Coast Mariners. That’s when they started talking about your potential transfer to Dynamo. Was it only rumors a year ago?
- There were some talks about Dynamo and those lasted a year. But now I’m in Kyiv, ready to demonstrate my best qualities as a player of this great club.
- Dynamo are currently first in the league table, close to the historic title. If Dynamo win the title, they’ll get the third star over the emblem, like Argentina after the World Cup. Did you know that?
- Sure. I’ve been following Dynamo history for a while, so I know about the third star. I want to help the team win it.
- What do you expect of you performances for Dynamo in Ukraine?
- I’m going to do the best I can for the club. And I even want to help Dynamo win the title this season. As for the future, I want to compete for all possible trophies. I want to win as many of those for the most titled club of Ukraine.
- What do you like about Ukraine beside football? People, hospitality, food, culture?
- I’ve already got familiarized with traditional Ukrainian food. Especially I want to mention the red soup – borshch. I think your cuisine is really delicious. I’ve seen some parts of Kyiv. It’s incredibly beautiful city.
- Why did you pick number 17?
- I don’t have a special history with that. I just like numbers 10 and 7, but those aren’t vacant, so I chose a combination of the two.
