Captain Shakhtar Taras Stepanenko commented on his parting with the Donetsk club.

The Ukrainian midfielder summed up the results of his long -term career in the camp of "

" I am very happy that I was invited to Shakhtar at one time - and I was able to prove that it was not just like that. I won a lot of trophies with the team, but the most important thing is that we survived together in difficult times. Therefore, I, let’s say, go with a pure heart and pure soul, from myself everything I could, for this club I did the same as I made for me. Of course, I want to tell the great president, the general director and sports director, club employees - to the entire management, staff, and the base workers - because these are people whom I know for many, many years. Also, the guys with whom I played, all the coaches who were in the shakter. Looking back, I can only say that for me it was a very happy time.

The years have always been bright here - since I first came to Donetsk, visited the base, the Donbass Arena, the first game in the Champions League, the first trophies. There were also sad times, when we left Donetsk, traveled to different cities of Ukraine, without home, a full-scale invasion, when many foreigner players left the team and we played those who remained, with Ukrainians who returned who returned. And we went this way together with dignity, kept together. And, I say, for me this is a big family. And very warm feelings and emotions will always be in my heart, I will always support this team and root for it.

The most memorable goal and match? I always say that this is the first goal in the Champions League - Partisan. Let's just say: after this goal and this victory, I became a full -fledged player of the Shakhtar football team, they started counting on me, they saw potential in me, thanks to which I started playing at a high level. I made her debut very cool: in my first match we won the trophy. It was a game for a Super Bowl with Tavria, we won 7: 1, I then went out in the second half. That is, in the first match, I won the trophy and realized that I would win a lot with this team. So it happened.

In the Shakhtar, I grew up not only as a football player, but most importantly, I think for myself as a person. From such a very emotional, aggressive, conflict guy. I was able to study, grow and became the captain of the team showing the young guys to the young guys how to relate to the club, training and games. And I tried to never give a descent, so to speak, but first of all - not to give a descent to myself. Because someone can make complaints only after you present them to yourself. I really hope that after I leave the club, I will be remembered by a person who was always honest, has always been sincere and hardworking.

Our fans are very strong people, because we know that many of them scattered through different parts of the light. I want to tell you, dear fans, that we always played, play and the miner will always play for you. We always remember you, despite the fact that we cannot play at home, we are traveling all the time, but we are always with your heart. Thank you over the years that we have passed together. And I say only “goodbye”, because life is much longer than a sports career, and we never know what will happen in the future. I will say this: I will play football, and then see, ”Shakhtar’s official website quoted Stepanenko as saying.

Earlier in the shakter they told whether they would sign a player to replace Stepanenko.