Sergey Kandaurov’s peak days at Maccabi Haifa were almost 30 years ago, but the Ukrainian midfielder is still remembered in the annals of the club as one of the best players who played there, and as one of the most significant foreigners in our football. Kandaurov, who now works at Benfica Lisbon where he also played after leaving Haifa, came with the Portuguese to Israel and spoke in an interview before the match with the ‘Sport Channel’.
Kandaurov, who still speaks Hebrew, said: “I see the crowd here and I’m very happy to be here, and I’m happy that Maccabi Haifa is in the Champions League and I’m happy to be here with Benfica.”
“Today I work at the club’s soccer school with children, and in Nafika they gave me everything, they help me and help my family and I am happy there. To work in the future at Maccabi Haifa? Sure, why not. I keep saying that this is also my home and I love Maccabi Haifa “.
“I get love from the crowd here and I got a lot of kisses here today, my wife doesn’t kiss me like that. I want to say good luck to Haifa and have a good game.”
“I was in contact with Moshe Glam, he spoke to me when we had to leave Ukraine. I called Eyal Berkovich but he never answers, maybe he doesn’t want to talk. I wanted to talk to him but he doesn’t answer, what kind of girl is he that I should look for him?”
On the situation in Ukraine: “It’s hard, my son is 30 years old and lives in Krakow and it’s hard for me. All day I see the news and I hope the war will end. I’m now at Benfica and it’s not easy to come to work at a club like this and I want to stay there.”