Background
Balabanov was born in Kiliya, at the time in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic of the Soviet Union (today in the Odessa Oblast of southern Ukraine).
Balabanov was born in Kiliya, at the time in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic of the Soviet Union (today in the Odessa Oblast of southern Ukraine).
He is a graduate of Chornomorets academy. In 2005 he was transferred to Football Club Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk. Having featured in a few matches over the next 2 seasons, he was loaned out to Football Club Naftovyk-Ukrnafta Okhtyrka in 2008, and then to Football Club Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih.
After his contract with Dnipro expired in 2009, he spent the next season without any professional football.
In July 2010, he signed a new contract with Chornomorets.