INTERVIEW

The Brazil-born Ukraine international starred in the Champions League for Shakhtar – but twice had to escape from war

You moved to Ukraine with Metalurh Donetsk in 2012. How was that?

Everything but easy! I’d been playing in Romania and Bulgaria for two years, but the winter was worse in Donetsk, the language harder to understand and the football much more physical. The club had great facilities, though, and a lot of potential.

What was it like when war came to Donetsk in 2014?

At the end of the season we started to see some protests in the streets, but nothing you felt afraid of. Then things changed – the rebels invaded Donetsk and gained control of official buildings. There were barricades, people carrying guns, and we understood how extreme the situation was. At the end of the season, all of my Brazilian mates went back home immediately. I had to stay in Donetsk a bit longer, as I was voted the best forward in the league and had to participate in an official event. After that, I travelled to Brazil – as soon as I got there, I saw Donetsk’s airport had been bombed. I looked at my wife – we realised we’d had a narrow escape.

What happened to the club? You moved to Dynamo Kyiv a year later.

Metalurh moved to Kyiv because of the war. It was hard – my wife was pregnant, but the club did everything to help. Given the uncertainty about what would happen to the Donetsk clubs, whether they’d be allowed to continue, I decided to join Dynamo.