Manchester City won the Premier League title for the fourth time in five years, and Ukrainian star Oleksandr Zinchenko hopes to bring the trophy to war-torn Ukraine.
It was an emotional night for Manchester City after clinching their fourth Premier League title in five years on Sunday following a dramatic comeback from two goals down to beat Aston Villa 3-2 in the last 15 minutes at the Etihad Stadium. However, one of the highlights of the celebrations was Oleksandr Zinchenko's gesture of draping the Ukraine flag around the coveted trophy to honour his country's spirit amidst the Russian aggression.
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The 25-year-old defender was visibly moved after decorating the silverware with his country's flag as supporters at Etihad erupted in applause to herald the City star's spirit even as his country continues to face the wrath of Vladimir Putin's forces.
Zinchenko burst into tears upon seeing the support received by his City teammates and those who witnessed a scintillating night of Premier League action on the final day of the 2021-22 season.
The Ukrainian star, who was emotional following this gesture, lauded the spirit of his countrymen and also thanked his City camp and supporters for standing by his side through the toughest phase of his life. Zinchenko also added that he would love to bring the coveted trophy to Ukraine as a mark of honour to his people.
"It is unforgettable emotion for me, for Ukrainians who are at the moment starving. They are surviving in my country because of Russian aggression. I am so proud to be Ukrainian. I would love to one day bring this title to Ukraine for all Ukrainian people because they deserve it," Zinchenko said.
WATCH: An emotional Zinchenko talks about winning Premier League amid Ukraine war
"It means everything to me, honestly. I want to thank these people for all the support because of what people gave me and what they have done for me during the toughest period in my life. I really appreciate it. I will never forget this, never in my life," the City defender added.
"In the beginning, I didn't even think too much about football because it is impossible to live in the same time with what is happening in my country. But with all the support which I had in the past and during this whole period, we did it. I hope we keep going because this amazing team deserves everything," the Ukrainian concluded.
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On Super Sunday, City's Ilkay Gundogan came off the bench to score twice, with Rodri also on target as Pep Guardiola's men held off Liverpool's title charge to win the league with just one point.
City's title triumph denies Liverpool, who beat Wolves 3-1 on the last day of the season, an unprecedented quadruple. Liverpool has already won the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup and faces Real Madrid in the Champions League final in Paris on Saturday.
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It is the second time that City have won back-to-back titles under Guardiola. Manchester United and Chelsea are the only other teams to achieve the feat in the Premier League era.