Old Jupiler Pro League-famous Roman Yaremchuk put himself in the international spotlight twice today. First with a goal, then with the celebration of that goal.
In the Champions League match against Ajax, the former attacker of AA Gent acted as supersub. On the hour, Yaremchuk was sent between the lines to erase a 1-2 deficit. With success: 10 minutes later he reacted fastest to a released ball from Ajax keeper Pasveer.
During the celebration of that equalizer, the Ukrainian footballer took off his football shirt. Under his competition jersey he wore a t-shirt with the coat of arms of his homeland Ukraine, the “Tryzub”. A well-aimed political statement.
The attacker could not stop the attacker from being penalized by UEFA and that it resulted in a yellow card. With this symbolic action, Yaremchuk is supporting his homeland, which is currently embroiled in a political conflict with border country Russia.
“I just wanted to support my country,” Yaremchuk said. “I have thought about the subject and the current situation for a long time. The club supports me and wants to help me in every way possible, but at the moment it is still going.”
Just hours after Yaremchuk’s statement, Vladimir Putin made a statement on Russian television. He announced a “military operation” in eastern Ukraine.
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