Snap shot: Shakhtar win the 2009 UEFA Cup
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
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Shakhtar Donetsk announced themselves as a force in European football by winning the UEFA Cup in 2009; UEFA.com remembers their stars of Istanbul.
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Beating domestic rivals Dynamo Kyiv in the semi-finals was not to be the pinnacle of Shakhtar Donetsk's 2008/09 UEFA Cup achievements. With their now customary mix of Brazilian flair and European industry, Shakhtar topped that by overcoming a much-fancied Werder Bremen side 2-1 in the Istanbul final.
Bremen's Naldo cancelled out Luiz Adriano's 25th-minute opener, but a Jádson goal in extra time secured the first major European success for a Ukrainian club since independence.
1. Luiz Adriano
The Brazilian's goal against Bremen was his third in that season's UEFA Cup. The forward spent eight years at Shakhtar and eventually left for AC Milan in summer 2015 as the club's all-time top scorer, with 128 goals in all competitions.
2. Willian
A hero of the semi-final victory over Dynamo, winger Willian hit the bar in the closing minutes of the final too. He moved on to Anji for a reported €35m in February 2013, then joined Chelsea where he is now a leading player.
3. Dmytro Chygrynksiy
The centre-back signed for Barcelona days after facing them in the 2009 UEFA Super Cup, but lasted just one season at Camp Nou. Injury marred a second stay at Shakhtar for the 'Iziaslav Jesus', who departed for Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in February 2015.
4. Jádson
The Brazilian schemer who netted the extra-time winner against Werder in Istanbul returned to his homeland in 2012 to play for São Paulo and Corinthians. He is currently in China with Tianjin Quanjian, being coached by ex-Real Madrid boss Vanderlei Luxemburgo.
5. Fernandinho
One of coach Mircea Lucescu's first Brazilian signings, the midfielder played 284 matches in eight seasons at Shakhtar, lifting six titles. He went to Manchester City in 2013 and helped steer them to this season's UEFA Champions League semi-finals.
6. Ilsinho
This versatile midfielder scored the semi-final clincher against Dynamo; against Bremen, he was booked and later substituted. Ilsinho headed back to Brazil in 2010 yet had a second stint at Shakhtar from 2012–15. Presently in the United States with Philadelphia Union.
7. Mircea Lucescu
Lucescu was in his fifth year with Shakhtar in 2009, the former Dinamo Bucureşti and Romania winger having arrived at the club in May 2004 after an ill-starred stopover at Beşiktaş. His managerial reign now spans 12 years and eight Ukrainian championships.
8. Răzvan Raţ
To cap one of his best seasons in Donetsk, the left-back set up Luiz Adriano's opener in the final. After playing 300 games in all competitions for Shakhtar, the Romania captain transferred to West Ham in 2013 and is currently in Spain with Rayo Vallecano.
9. Mariusz Lewandowski
The Polish holding midfielder came close to scoring in Istanbul with a shot from distance. Lewandowski claimed five titles in nine seasons with Shakhtar before ending his career at Sevastopol in 2013. Now a businessman, he recently opened a restaurant in Dubai.
10. Olexandr Kucher
Born in Kyiv, the 33-year-old centre-half remains a starter for the Pitmen as well as the Ukrainian national team – and is in line for a busy summer at UEFA EURO 2016. Rated by Lucescu as the club's most reliable player.
11. Olexandr Gladkiy
A replacement for Luiz Adriano towards the end of normal time at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, Gladkiy is in his second spell at Shakhtar yet has never quite become a guaranteed starter. Metalist Kharkiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk and Karpaty Lviv are among the striker's former clubs.
Out of picture:
Darijo Srna
Shakhtar's long-standing captain has made over 500 appearances for the club and unsurprisingly was ever-present in the 2008/09 UEFA Cup campaign, teeing up Jádson's goal in the final. The first Shakhtar player to get his hands on the trophy.
Andriy Pyatov
Pyatov conceded just six goals in nine 2008/09 UEFA Cup outings, and though his error led to Naldo's equaliser in the showpiece, he redeemed himself with a number of saves. Now Ukraine's first-choice goalkeeper, he has been at Shakhtar since 2007.
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