Ioannidis admits he was afraid to join Sporting in 2024 and explains why | OneFootball

Fotis Ioannidis revealed that he tried to move from Panathinaikos to Sporting a year earlier, admitting that he could have been more decisive at that time. The player explained that although he felt it was the right moment to advance in his career, the fear of change and the comfort in Athens influenced his decision.

"On my part, I pushed a bit to take the next step, but I wasn't completely sure. I have a great relationship with my father, who advises me more on how to react to certain situations or manage difficult periods. He never told me to leave. He would ask me what I felt," he said in an interview with Gazzetta, a Greek newspaper.

The player - who has been a secret weapon coming off the bench - also spoke about his hesitation: "If the decision were solely mine, perhaps I would have left. But I'm not sure, because I also loved Panathinaikos. I liked the day-to-day, and the comfort zone played an important role. Changes are scary."

Reflecting on the past, Ioannidis acknowledged that his reaction was influenced by the fear of moving to another country: "Now, looking back, I think I shouldn't have been so afraid, because it was something that would happen sooner or later." The player recounted that the conversation with the president of Panathinaikos was decisive: "He told me he would like me to stay another year to help the team, he wanted us to win the championship together, so it wasn't my choice, I had a contract. I had to listen to him and respect his opinion," he concluded.

This season, wearing the Sporting jersey, Fotis Ioannidis – valued at 20 million euros – has played 17 matches. The 25-year-old Greek international forward has played 662 minutes, during which he has scored five goals and provided three assists with the green and white stripes.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.