---
title: "\"I had no doubts from day one\": Serhii Chobotenko on his new contract with Polissya, Cornelius, and club ambitions"
description: "Polissya defender Serhii Chobotenko discussed his contract extension, European lessons against Copenhagen, partnership with Sarapiy, and team ambitions."
date: 2026-10-07T04:04:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/serhii-chobotenko-new-contract-polissya
tags: [serhii-chobotenko, polissya, football, ukrainian-premier-league, transfers]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# "I had no doubts from day one": Serhii Chobotenko on his new contract with Polissya, Cornelius, and club ambitions

![Serhii Chobotenko wearing Polissya FC kit](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/07/sergey-chobotenko-o-novom-kontrakte-s-polesiem/sergey-chobotenko-o-novom-kontrakte-s-polesiem-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- Serhii Chobotenko extended his contract with Polissya without any doubts from the first day of negotiations.
- The player named Copenhagen forward Cornelius as one of the toughest individual opponents in his career.
- The team is focused on achieving the high goals set by club president Hennadii Butkevych.

Zhytomyr's Polissya center-back Serhii Chobotenko has given a comprehensive interview detailing the reasons behind his contract extension, the psychological lessons learned from European competitions, and the team's ambitions for the current season. According to the player, the decision to stay in Zhytomyr was unanimous with his family, who feel extremely comfortable there. The defender emphasized that from the very beginning of the negotiation process, he had no doubts about his choice.

### Team journey and European experience

Assessing the start of the current campaign, the player noted positive momentum, though he stressed that final evaluations of the season can only be made in May. Special attention was given to the dramatic UEFA Conference League qualification clash against Danish side FC Copenhagen at the Parken Stadium. Despite having a one-man advantage, Zhytomyr failed to put the opponent away, serving as a serious emotional and psychological lesson for the entire squad. Chobotenko admitted that the team thoroughly analyzed those matches, highlighting the failure to convert scoring chances in the first leg as the main shortcoming.

### Defensive partnership and transfer rumors

Commenting on his central defensive partnership with Eduard Sarapiy—which fans and experts are already beginning to compare to legendary Ukrainian football pairings—Chobotenko modestly deferred judgment to the coaching staff, media, and fans. He also addressed recent rumors linking Sarapiy with Italian club Sassuolo. The defender stated that while losing a reliable partner is always difficult for the team, he would be genuinely happy for his colleague if he gets the chance to play in one of Europe's top 5 leagues.

### Individual duels and crowd pressure

When asked about the toughest strikers he has faced in his career, Serhii singled out Copenhagen forward Andreas Cornelius. The defender noted that the Dane caused him immense trouble with his powerful physical shielding, even if he no longer possesses his former speed. Furthermore, the player touched upon the pressure from management and fans: following bronze medals and consistent upward progress in the standings, Polissya is expected to achieve top results, but the squad fully shares these ambitions and is ready to fulfill the tasks set by club president Hennadii Butkevych.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- ["С первого дня не сомневался": Чоботенко – о новом контракте с "Полесьем", Корнелиусе и скрепке от соперника](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/football/z-pershogo-dnya-vagavsya-chobotenko-noviy-1791326026.html) - Первоисточник интервью с Сергеем Чоботенко.
- [Чоботенко рассказал, как с Гуцуляком проводили время в Полесье U-19. Бегали тест йо-йо](https://www.ua-football.com/ukrainian/news/1774250846-chobotenko-rasskazal-kak-s-guculyakom-provodili-vremya-v-polese-u-19-begali-test-yo-yo.html) - Подтверждено по источнику ua-football.com
- [После скандала неплохо. Названа зарплата, которую будет получать Чоботенко в Полесье](https://www.ua-football.com/ukrainian/high/1773425058-posle-skandala-neploho-nazvana-zarplata-kotoruyu-budet-poluchat-chobotenko-v-polese.html) - Подтверждено по источнику ua-football.com
- [Полесье отстранило двух лидеров от основной команды – стала известна причина](https://glavred.info/sport/polese-otstranilo-dvuh-liderov-ot-osnovnoy-komandy-stala-izvestna-prichina-10731992.html) - Подтверждено по источнику glavred.info

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: Why did Serhii Chobotenko decide to stay at Polissya?
**A:** The player stated that he wanted to stay in Zhytomyr from day one, and his family supported the decision as they feel comfortable at the club.

### Q: Who sets the main goals for the Zhytomyr club?
**A:** The tasks for the team and coaching staff are set by club president Hennadii Vladyslavovych Butkevych.