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Saturday, February 8, 2025

Legia surprised everyone with what it did. “Everyone was holding their heads” Football

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Vahan Bichakhchyan is a 40-time representative of Armenia. The 25-year-old midfielder recently signed contract with Legia Warszawawhich is valid until December 31, 2027. For the last three years, he played for Pogoń Szczecin, in which he played in 81 Ekstraklasa matches, scoring 13 goals and providing nine assists.

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Michał Żyro directly about Biczakhchjan's transfer: The only minuses

– Legia's proposal caused me great emotions. I really wanted to join this club and I'm glad I'm here. I know that in Warsaw they always want to win. Every season the club fights for the highest goals, and I have a similar character. I will do everything to achieve a lot together with the team. I can't wait for the league to resume. I will do everything to give the fans a lot of joy. I'm waiting for us to meet on the pitch – he said in the club's media after the transfer.

Norbert Amlicki, Sport.pl: “He will definitely defend himself in terms of football, because he is a badass” – this is what Kacper Tobiasz said about Biczakhczan in “La Legia Vlog #8”. How would you comment on this move?

Michał Żyro, former player of, among others, Legia Warszawa and Pogoń Szczecin: Certainly positive, because considering the age of this player, the goals he scored and his style of play, it will definitely be useful. I'm also curious what position he will play in, whether in midfield as a number 10 or as a right winger.

I commented on Pogoń's matches and saw how Wahan moved live. His starting position was on the right flank, but when the team had the ball, he was in the middle. There is a possibility that he will combine well and gain an advantage. It all depends on the defensive tasks he will have.

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How would you characterize this player for those fans who did not follow Pogoń that much? You mentioned that he is known for his long-range shots. Michał Zachodny from Viaplay calculated that from the 2023/24 season, only 17 shots out of all 150 attempts had an xG value of at least 0.01, and 96 had this value of 0.05 xG.

– Pogoń certainly had a great start. Everyone was holding their heads and asking, “what kind of player made it to the top league”? Later, he lowered his tone a bit and played intermittently. There were some matches in which he started on the substitute bench, but I also think that it is an advantage for Legia that Goncalo Feio is such a strong character in the locker room that he will build Wahan so that he can stay in shape throughout the season.

The environment in which you play is equally important. In Legia he will play with better players, with greater intensity, so this can also raise his level. There is also a different level of pressure in Warsaw, because we know what the expectations are for the club. In every match you have to play to win and there are no excuses.

The only disadvantages I saw in Wahan's performance were the previously mentioned fluctuations in form and the worse second part of the season, but maybe it was due to the fact that the team was also not performing well and he was adapting to it.

We'll see, I count on coach Feio and the work of the entire staff to put pressure on him. If he wants to play, he has to stay in good shape from start to finish. In Pogoń he certainly didn't have the same competition as he will have here. For now, Luquinhas is injured, but when he returns, Wahan will have to fight for this squad, which will not be easy.

Financial problems in Pogoń, which ended with a protest by the players, certainly did not help the team play better.

– It certainly had some influence, not only on him, but on most of the players. It is the case not only in Pogoń, but also in other clubs that if the situation is not organized, it may result in problems on the pitch in the long run. The player himself probably didn't know what would happen next.

I saw on Instagram that many Pogoń players wished him good luck. They thanked him for the time he spent, which shows that Bichakhchyan was an added value in the locker room and a player who was liked not only on the pitch, but also off it. He didn't have many injuries, I didn't see any fights in which he could have suffered. He is a flexible player and I think that Legia made a good move by signing this player. Another attribute added in his case are set pieces that can be used in matches. It defends itself.

I also heard an interesting statement. It was purchased for approximately PLN 250,000. euro and there is certainly room for his value to increase at this age, as a representative of a country that will certainly also play in European cups or other competitions. If he scores spectacular goals, he will certainly be noticed by foreign scouts and Legia will be able to make money from him. For now, I see only positives from this transfer.

Do you already see a specific place for him in the squad? In Pogoń he played on the right midfield or wing, depending on the formation they played. Kacper Chodyna plays in this position in Legia.

– It depends on tactics, because his tasks will involve playing with and without the ball. Looking at the defensive phases of the match, Wahan can be a right winger who is theoretically responsible for the left defender or swingman. Even when playing in position number “10” in defense, he can move to the side to help Paweł Wszołek.

Similarly, in the offensive, when playing on the wing, Wahan goes inside and makes room for Paweł, who plays very high. It all depends on tactics. It will be difficult to determine on paper, because the phases of the match change dynamically.

Could this be a player from whom the coach will start building the starting lineup, as it was during Josue's time in Legia?

– At the beginning, you certainly can't say that he will be the player from whom the team selection begins. Kacper Chodyna has had a good round behind him. It's nice that he got used to playing every three days, which is difficult, because I remember from myself that it takes some time, sacrifice and sacrifice. We saw him in league and cup matches in good form.

Wahan will definitely need some time, so the club – and, above all, the fans – must be patient for him to stabilize his form. There will certainly be moments when, due to travel and various moments of the season, you sometimes don't know what shape you are in. When everything is going well, you don't have to think too much and play your own game.

Adapting to Goncalo Feio's tactics will also play an important role. Analysts will certainly devote a lot of time to position him well on the pitch. Legia will probably not want to put additional pressure on Wahan to create a narrative that he is a savior. There are other players who are playing at the moment. We cannot forget that in the previous round there was practically one squad, so it will be difficult for Biczakhchyan to join the squad straight away. At the beginning, he will probably be a player who can make a difference from the bench.

Jacek Zieliński, who became Legia's sports director in 2021, was responsible for transfers until recently. During this time, he made about 30 transfers. Could this be the best move by him or the team he's on?

– We will probably evaluate it when Jacek Zieliński finishes his job as director. It is not the case that only one person is responsible for transfers, but it is handled by a team of people who are responsible for it. Communication with the coach and other staff members who manage the players is also important. It is the coach who determines the squad and tactics.

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This transfer will be successful if Wahan is in good shape, he will contribute to the team's results and he will be sold for more than he was bought for. I think that transfers in this category should also be considered.

This was Legia's first transfer in the winter transfer window. Do you see any other weak points that should be strengthened before the start of the rematch? Many fans talk about the right defender and striker.

– Kramer was a player with a profile that Legia lacks – definitely taller, with good physical conditions and dynamics, who is fast, strong and, above all, will go behind the defense line. Marc Gual is often withdrawn and plays as a false number nine. He has the ability to score goals, but there is no one who would stretch the defense line by running behind the opponents' backs. I would see someone with this profile as an alternative to Marc, or someone who can play with him.

The right defense could also be strengthened, but there is Wszołek and Chodyna, who played in this position before and can move lower. In fact, Wahan's arrival provides additional alternatives.

Legia is certainly hesitant about transfers that may not be successful. They must be 100 percent. certain, hence Bikhakhchyan's transfer. I think they don't want players like Nsame, Alfarela or Celhaka anymore. These were players who only helped in training, and their performances were quite anonymous.

Therefore, because of the moves they made earlier, Legia's bosses now want to be convinced of the players who will be brought in in the winter. Let's remember that this is not a window before the new season, but its continuation, so the club must be sure of these reinforcements, because transfer opportunities in this period are certainly more difficult than in the summer, hence one transfer for now.

You have to wait patiently for the transfers, because neither the club nor the fans want any failures, only players who are 100 percent. they will be good enough to be able to play in Legia.

It is said that Legia is fighting for Benjamin Kallman from Cracovia, who wanted to go abroad, but changed his mind after an offer from Warsaw. Cracovia is reportedly expecting an offer of around EUR 1.5 million, which is quite a large amount considering the conditions in the top league. Despite such requirements, is it worth signing this player at all costs, or maybe we should take into account that the Finn may not meet the expectations of, for example, Jean-Pierre Nsame, who recorded two goals in 10 out of 32 matches?

– For me, Kallman is a very interesting striker and If I were Legia, I would fight hard for himeven for the above-mentioned EUR 1.5 million. His contract is expiring, and this sum – according to our conditions – is high. On the other hand, you know this player, like Wahana, you know his character – he doesn't give up, he's brave, he works defensively and doesn't cause any problems.

He plays practically everything from cover to cover and doesn't get injured. Recently, due to Mick van Buren's injury, he played as a number nine, and previously they played together, which also shows that he is flexible and can play in many positions.

The Finn probably wants to leave the club now or in the summer, but he is not causing any problems and is working. I was recently at one of Cracovia's sparrings and I saw that he didn't give up on any fight and gave 100 percent. He would definitely be useful to Legia, because he scores goals, assists and works for the team. He is a player who is very good considering the conditions of the top league. If I were the club, instead of buying a few unknown players for whom we pay a lot anyway, I would spend this money and transfer one player we already know.

Finally, can Legia with such a squad afford to win the Polish championship this season? Or maybe Lech Poznań, which has six points more, has already “gone too far”?

– Six points can easily be made up these days. There will certainly be moments when Lech will lose points, but Legia or Raków will also lose. None of the teams will survive without problems, because the top league is so specific and unpredictable that sometimes the hardest games are against teams fighting for relegation.

These are very important matches, some people already add three points before them, but usually it looks different. I hope that the league will be interesting, and for teams that want to aspire to play at the top, winning streaks should be the most important. The most important thing is to score points in every match, because then the team moves forward.



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