In the summer of 2009 Pep Guardiola had earned the right to decide the planning of Barcelona and have full powers in the signings. In his first campaign in the Blaugrana first team He had won the League, the Champions League and the Copa del Rey, something that would later end with the first 'sextet' in history with an offensive game, touch and marked by virtuosity. The Blaugrana coach wanted a central defender to cover the gap left by Martín Cáceres, who left on loan to Juventus after playing 23 games the previous season without achieving the expected performance. Guardiola expressly asked Chygrynskiy, Ukrainian central Shakhtar Donetsk, whereby Barcelona paid 25 million euros despite being a semi-unknown in Spain. A year later, he returned to his home club for 15 after losing 10 'kilos' in just 12 months. It currently has a value of half a million in the AEK of Athens according to Transfermarkt And today he will not be against Spain after encrypting his last commitment with his team in 2011.
Beginnings in Shakhtar and transfer to Metalurh
Dmitro Anatóliyovich Chygrynskiy (Iziaslav, November 7, 1986) he joined the ranks of Shakhtar Donetsk in 1999, when he was 13 years old. After three and a half years rising unstoppably in the lower categories, the Ukrainian center-back He made his debut at the age of 17 in the first division. On December 7, 2004 he had his first contact with Barcelona, since Lucescu made him debut testimonially in the Champions League in Shakhtar's 2-0 victory at RSK Olympiyskiy against the Blaugrana team. In 2005 it was loaned to PFK Metalurg Zaporizhia, Ukrainian club where he made a great leap in his progression. He played 18 games and scored two goals that helped him return to the more trained club and with the idea of fighting for the starting position. In addition, he entered the call for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, although it did not have minutes. Ukraine lost in the quarterfinals against Italy and their debut in the competition was against Spain, where they were beaten 4-0. Later he would dispute the European Under-21 in which he would enter the ideal eleven of the championship.
Dmytro Chygrynskiy with the Shaktar.
Konstantin Chernichkin (REUTERS)
Guardiola caught on in their confrontations
Standing out for its clean ball exit, long displacement and the qualities of the modern touch center, Chygrynskiy played 13 games in his year back at Shakhtar and achieved three goals. In the 2006/07 season, at the age of 20, he established himself in the team where players such as Marica, Brandao, Elano, Matuzalem, Fernandinho, Tymoshchuk, Srna or Rat. He played 29 games in all competitions, facing Valencia in the Champions League and Sevilla later in UEFA. The following season he continued to progress, scoring 4 goals in 42 games and participating on some occasion in the center of the field for his ability to distribute the ball. He repeated number of games in the 2008/09 campaign, probably the best of his career, and Guardiola's Barcelona was measured twice, dazzling the Sampedor technician. Shakhtar fell 1-2 at home to the Blaugranas, in an express comeback with a name of his own, Leo Messi, who scored in 87 and 93 after leaving the bench. At the Camp Nou the victory went to the Ukrainians, who beat Barcelona 2-3 with many substitutes. In those games Guardiola's interest was won. Shakthar finally lifted the UEFA Cup by defeating Werder Bremen 2-1 in extra time.
Dmytro Chygrynskiy played his last match with Shakhtar in the European Super Cup against Barcelona, the team he signed for.
PHILIPPE LAURENSON (REUTERS)
Surpassed in LaLiga
At this point, Guardiola was clear that he wanted the central defender to fight for the site with Piqué and Puyol and further improve the ball play output from behind. He didn't want a plan B, it was his choice. But the Shakthar refused to transfer a Chygrynskiy who was about to turn 23, aware that they had to play the European Super Cup against Barcelona itself. On August 28, 2009, and after having already played 7 league games with Shakhtar, The Ukrainian team faced Barça with the center-back in the eleven and fell in extra time due to a goal by Pedro with five minutes remaining to go to penalties. At that meeting and about to conclude the transfer market, his arrival at the Catalan club was closed for 25 million euros.
It did not take long to enter the coach's plans, who already started him on the second day of the League against Getafe (victory 0-2). He would remain in the eleven to defeat Atlético 5-2 and was chaining opportunities as Guardiola's personal bet. But the mistakes happened game after game: Turnovers, slow coverage, penalties committed … until the fans despair. The Ukrainian played 12 games for Barcelona until January; in the next five months he would play 180 minutes. Chygrynskiy returned to Shakhtar in exchange for 15 million with the League title and the Club World Cup that closed the 'sextete' in his record.
Chygrynskiy with Barcelona.
ENRIC FONTCUBERTA (DAILY AS)
About his time at Barcelona he commented a few years ago in Don Ball than “the coach treated me very well at all times. He taught me many things the year I was at the club and he cared a lot for me and for me to improve many aspects of my game. It is not easy to learn to play like Barcelona do, with that speed, and a period of adaptation is needed. If I had played well they would not have transferred me to Shakhtar again. I don't think the money my transfer cost had anything to do with it, I made mistakes and it was only my fault, that's why they transferred me, but that's football. If you play well you continue, it is like that. I repeat, I was responsible for making mistakes. “
Disappeared from the elite
His return to Shakhtar it did not have the expected result. 21 games in the return year, fulfilling his last games with the national team, 9 the following and four in the 2013/14 season. Substitute and with a market value reduced to two million euros, Chygrynskiy terminated his life club contract and sought to re-emerge in football at Dnipro. In a season and a half he only played 19 games, so he got the freedom letter again and was able to decide his future with an economic value of one million euros for Transfermarkt.
Dmytro Chygrynskiy with AEK against Ajax in the Champions League.
ARIS MESSINIS (AFP)
His destination was in Greece, at the AEK in Athens. There he has settled, with four seasons in the Greek league where he has made a starting gap in the center of the rear. At 33 years old, he is a veteran of the Hellenic team, maintaining that image with his iconic hair blowing in the wind, his full beard and with the ball always on the ground. Completely removed from the fame and spotlights that accompanied him in his signing for Barcelona, he will keep in his baggage having been praised and chosen by Pep Guardiola to be part of one of the best teams in history.