Experienced Ukrainian defender Dmytro Chygrynskiy, who recently returned to Shakhtar Donetsk, shared his impressions of his first match for the team. Yesterday, the 36-year-old featured in the Pitmen's starting line-up for the match of the third round of the Ukrainian league with Oleksandriya (2-1) and played 74 minutes.
"Youth is a good motivator, because football nowadays is such that you can't play on experience alone. And in terms of physical demands and intensity, I have no right to lag behind the youngsters. Therefore, they push me, and maybe they learn something from me. It is such a symbiosis, a two-way process.
Impressions from the current Ukrainian championship? There are changes, of course. Firstly, let's be honest, since Ukraine is at war, the quality of football has lost. A lot of players, and this applies to all clubs, have left the teams. But young people have got a chance and I would say that football has become more intense.
Yes, our championship has lost some quality, but it is a matter of time. I think this championship will be of a slightly higher level compared to the previous one," Chygrynskiy was quoted by Shakhtar's official website.