On the morning of Manchester City's crucial game with West Ham on the penultimate weekend of last season, Oleksandr Zinchenko was woken up by his team-mates. The night before, Europe had voted for Ukraine to win the Eurovision Song Contest and the City players wanted to share the good news with the left-back.
Like much of last season following Russia's invasion of his country, it was an emotional moment for the 25-year-old.
But it was also special for the players to show their affection and support for a much-loved team-mate who has been left tormented by the war in Ukraine.
In the early days of the Russian invasion, Zinchenko had to be talked out of returning home to help defend his country, with friends and family convincing him that he could make more of an impact by staying in England and drawing attention to the plight of his people.
As the most high profile Ukrainian in the highly-visible Premier League, he has the platform to speak emotionally and authoritatively about the suffering in Ukraine.
Away fans across England have applauded him warmly and pictures of his tearful embrace with international team-mate Vitaliy Mykolenko ahead of City's game with Everton were seen around the world.
But it's been a difficult six months and the left-back has broken down on many occasions thinking about what many of his friends and family are going through.
He has donated significant funds to the war effort, spoken to soldiers and volunteered at a Ukrainian community group in Manchester that sends back essential supplies to those whose lives have become a daily struggle.
Football was a welcome distraction for Zinchenko and the time spent on the training ground and on matchdays has helped clear his mind.
Pep Guardiola and the club have offered their support, but on a personal level so too have Zinchenko's friends in the team.
“At some point, especially in the beginning, I didn’t think too much about football because it is impossible to live with what is happening in my country,” he said after the dramatic title victory on the final day.
“But with all the support which I had during this period, we did it. It means everything to me.
“Honestly, I want to die for these people, for all this support, because of what people gave me and what they have done for me during this toughest period of my life. I am so appreciative and I will never forget this. Never in my life."
The invasion has drawn into focus the sense of togetherness in the City camp but there was nothing new in the club's appreciation for Zinchenko.
Signed from Russian club FC Ufa for just £1.7 million ($2m) in 2016, he was determined to make it at the Etihad Stadium.
For example, after an away victory at Huddersfield in 2017 when he was an unused sub, Zinchenko travelled back to the training ground to work alone in the gym the same night.
That sort of commitment didn't go unnoticed by Guardiola or his coaches, including current Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta. Eventually, his opportunities came but as a left-back rather than as an attacking midfielder.
And even when City considered allowing him to leave to sign a specialist full-back, Zinchenko never doubted himself and turned down moves to Wolves and Napoli to fight for his place.
It was a fabulous decision and he has played a significant part in helping Guardiola's side to four Premier League titles in five years, not least on the final day of last season when he stood out in helping to turn around a two-goal deficit to Aston Villa in dramatic fashion.
But, after five years, predominantly as a makeshift defender, Zinchenko has earned the chance to play in his preferred position.
More than three-quarters of his 128 appearances for City have come at left-back but now he's backed himself to play at a top club as an attacking midfielder, having just joined Arsenal for an initial £30m ($36m).
Guardiola agrees that it's his best role, but he was never going to start him there ahead of Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Ilkay Gundogan, Phil Foden or Jack Grealish.
“In the position that we have in the midfield, in the pockets as the attacking midfielder, that is his position, definitely," the City boss said in April.
"When we bought Oleks, he was a No.10 – a Phil Foden position, a creative player – but the needs we had... we didn’t have a left-back for many years.
“Fabian Delph adapted incredibly well in that position and Oleks as well. That’s happened because he is well-educated, he knows exactly what it means. He adapted and said: ‘Okay, what does the team need? I’m going to do it.’
“He is a reliable player. Sometimes when he plays less or didn’t perform like normal, it’s because he’s a human being. What happens in his country, we cannot forget it.
"But I know Oleks – the way he played is not necessary for us to know who he is."
City look like they will finally sign a specialist left-back this summer and with Joao Cancelo remaining a hugely effective alternative, they can afford to let Zinchenko leave.
This transfer also makes sense for the player, though. His performances in the World Cup qualifiers for Ukraine showed once again that he has the requisite talent and maturity to play higher up the pitch.
And, like team-mate Gabriel Jesus, he enjoyed his time working with Arsenal boss Arteta at City, so he should have little troubling settling into his new surroundings in north London given Guardiola's former right-hand man employs a similar system at the Emirates.
It's the right move at the right time for Zinchenko. He will be dearly missed at City, both on and off the pitch, but Arteta was able to offer him something that Guardiola never really could: the chance to play regularly in midfield.