ElMen published a large article dedicated to the success of Spanish side Girona under the title "Catalan Cinderella". A lot of attention was paid to two Ukrainian legionnaires of this team - midfielder Viktor Tsygankov and striker Artem Dovbik.
Artem Dovbik and Viktor Tsygankov"In the winter of 2023, the team was strengthened by the creative player of the Ukrainian national team Viktor Tsygankov, and in the second part of the championship the team's game shone with new colours.
Tsygankov moved from Dynamo Kyiv for a modest €5 million, which was a blockbuster for the Catalans. In the first five matches for Girona, the winger made 6 productive actions (three goals and three assists) and woke up the whole team. "Girona" made an impressive leap from the bottom of La Liga and until the last day fought for the European Cup zone. The team did not achieve its goal and after defeats to Betis and Osasuna finished in tenth place.
In the off-season, the Red and White lost their top scorer Valentin Castellanos, remembered for his spectacular poker game against Real Madrid. Inspired by Tsygankov's easy adaptation, Girona invited the formidable Ukrainian striker Artem Dovbik to fill the vacant position. The negotiations were not easy: half of the rights to the player belonged to Danish Middtjylland, and Dnipro 1 did not want to let their leader go. "Girona" showed character and managed to realise a difficult transfer. As a reward, the club received a productive striker, whose talents are not limited to power struggles and head kicks.
Dovbik has excellent speed from distance, can tackle opponents one-on-one and reads the game well, making him indispensable in game situations. At Girona, he has been nicknamed the 'Ukrainian Holland' and before you smile sceptically, we advise you to take a closer look at his style of play," the publication wrote.
