A crisis, an opportunity

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Due to the war in Ukraine, Yehor Krapivin continued his development at Marcet and signed with Espanyol.

Football often serves as a refuge from reality. Yehor Krapivin, a young Ukrainian, experienced the brutality of war firsthand in his homeland. This harsh reality led him to emigrate and carve a new chapter in his life through sports. Despite the challenges he faced from a young age, his passion for the game motivated him to seek fresh horizons for his career, and recently, he achieved a significant milestone: signing with RCD Espanyol.

During the outbreak of war, Yehor played in the youth divisions of Shakhtar Donetsk, one of Ukraine’s prominent clubs. “My father received an email from Marcet three months after the war began. We consulted people familiar with the academy and decided to come. In the end, it was the best opportunity of my life,” recalls the goalkeeper.

The Ukrainian always had clear goals: perfect his skills between the goalposts and progress to the professional realm. However, the journey was not easy. “Here, the demands are high. There are morning and afternoon training sessions, as well as specific ones to improve my physical and technical abilities,” he acknowledges. Reflecting on his progress during his time at Marcet, Yehor shares, “Now I feel more confident playing with my feet; I’ve improved greatly in one-on-one duels and aerial play. I thought being tall would give me an advantage in aerial play, but the coaches helped refine it.”

The hard work he invested in the academy, the sacrifices of leaving his homeland and facing a foreign-language country, finally bore fruit. “Carlos Rivero (Sports Director of the Marcet Academy) informed me that Espanyol wanted me to join their training. I got very nervous. I thought, ‘Wow, Espanyol!’” he recalls with a smile. The ‘Pericos’ ultimately signed him for three seasons, and the signing moment was particularly emotional with the presence of his parents and sister.

His dedication at Marcet and bravery in leaving his homeland amidst war have been rewarded with a unique opportunity. As the goalkeeper for Espanyol’s Cadete A team, he has achieved a significant milestone: his call-up to the Ukrainian Under-16 national team. This recognition validates his talent and hard work and demonstrates that dreams can come true through perseverance and commitment.

Yehor’s story exemplifies how football can be a path to overcoming adversity. The war in his country transformed into a new opportunity at Marcet and, ultimately, at RCD Espanyol. Through his passion and determination, Yehor Krapivin shows that even in the darkest moments, dreams have the power to come true.

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