Dani Abalo has given an insight into life in Bulgaria as Real Mardrid prepare to travel to Sofia for the Champions League game against Ludogorets.
The Galician has been at Ludogorets since 2013 and was on target as they gave Liverpool a scare in the first round of group games before falling to a 2-1 defeat at Anfield.
Madrid are Ludogorets’ next opposition, the game to be played on Wednesday in the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, almost five hours away, and Abalo has been interviewed by AS ahead of the fixture.
“In 2013 I’d been on loan [from Celta Vigo] at Beira-Mar and had a great end to the season when Ludogorets called,” he explained.
“I went to Bulgaria before the League started and I had to decide whether to accept their offer or wait for something in Spain. I chose to come here and fight for trophies and for Europe.
“Life is hard in Razgrad and in winter it’s like a ghost town. There isn’t much to do but that means we have to train and that’s very good.”
Abalo added that rather than wait for the team’s Champions League run to come to an end, he is eyeing further success in the competition, having helped eliminate Steaua Bucharest on penalties in the qualifying round.
“I hope we can do more! I congratulated everyone [after scoring against Liverpool],” Abalo revealed.
“I came here to play in Europe and to score was a rush.”
Abalo’s goal produced a touching celebration, the 26-year-old rushing to a disabled supporter behind the goal.
“That morning the brother of one of the coaches came, who is in a wheelchair,” he revealed.
“They told me their story, which I didn’t know. When I scored I decided to dedicate the goal to them.”
