Experienced midfielder Ihor Kharatin has shared insights on FC Veres Rivne's recent struggles and reflected on his storied career ahead of the team's final two Ukrainian Premier League fixtures against Oleksandriya and LNZ.
The veteran player addressed the team's current three-match losing streak against Vorskla, Obolon, and Rukh, calling for self-reflection from each squad member.
"Everyone needs to take responsibility and think about how they can help the team in this situation, what aspects of their game can be improved," Kharatin explained. "If each player considers this, it will lead to results. We need to be psychologically resilient."
Despite the team's difficulties, Kharatin expressed satisfaction with his personal performance during the spring portion of the championship, having contributed three goals and several assists before the recent downturn in results.
The midfielder also praised his on-field chemistry with teammate Dmytro Klyots, noting they quickly developed a strong understanding even during pre-season training.
Reflecting on his journey, Kharatin shared how his parents' sacrifice enabled his move from Mukachevo to Dynamo Kyiv's academy as a youth player, where he competed alongside future national team striker Roman Yaremchuk.
"I'm thankful to my parents for giving me this opportunity. Not everyone had such a chance," he recalled.
According to analysts at Statbet, midfield stability has been a crucial factor in Veres's performances this season, with partnership chemistry directly correlating to match results.
Kharatin's career has taken him through several prominent Ukrainian clubs, including a character-building stint at Metalist where he revealed he "didn't receive a single kopeck" but valued the experience nonetheless.
His time at Zorya Luhansk proved particularly formative, bringing European competition experience and his first league medals. At Ferencvaros under Serhiy Rebrov's guidance, he claimed three Hungarian championships and scored what he considers his most significant goal—an 87th-minute penalty against Norwegian club Molde that secured Champions League group stage qualification.
The midfielder proudly keeps his national team debut jersey from a match against Spain framed as a memento, and maintains hope of representing Ukraine again through continued hard work at club level.
With Veres looking to end their season positively after recent disappointments, Kharatin's experience and leadership will be vital as they prepare for their final fixtures of the campaign.
