I was big-money Barcelona signing under Pep Guardiola but got substituted for passing to Zlatan Ibrahimovic

It was no surprise, then, to see the Blaugrana hierarchy give Guardiola almost a blank cheque to spend freely in the resulting summer transfer window.

Among the high-profile arrivals was Ibrahimovic from Inter Milan for £40million and Samuel Eto'o, who infamously failed to get on too well with the Catalan coach and was shipped out a year later.

But also arriving for big money was perhaps the lesser-known Dmytro Chygrynskiy, who joined from Shakhtar for £20m and became the first Ukrainian to play for the club.

However, much like Ibrahimovic, the defender would not last very long at the Nou Camp after failing to suit Guardiola's methods.

There was one telling moment during the season that really irked the Barca boss.

READ MORE ON BARCELONA

Barcelona academy graduate scores winner seconds into debut and emotional family in tears

Messi wanted me at Barca after 'best ever goalkeeping display' and I'll never forget it

Known for his pretty passing and methodical patterns, one sure way to get under Pep's skin is to pump the ball up to the big man up front.

As remembered by Thierry Henry, it did not take long before Chygrynskiy was hauled off early into his fourth start for Los Cules in their ninth LaLiga match of season.

The Frenchman, who played for Barcelona from 2007 to 2010, explained: "We played a game against Osasuna.

"Osasuna weren't defending that [central] area well. The guy [midfielder] was not tucking in well.

Most read in Football

Spurs top but Postecoglou unhappy, United set for emotional night, Champions League back

Why are Tottenham playing two midweek games in the Premier League this week?

Carragher loves Maddison's joke amid technical difficulties in Sky Sports interview

Maddison and Son score landmark goals as Tottenham return to top of Premier League

"That day, Chygrynskiy played because he had a great left foot. He could ping the ball well with his right foot and his left foot. An amazing left foot.

"We were going to play a centre-back who was going to play across for Xavi. Whenever we were moving, Xavi was staying in that zone. That was the exit.

"But what was funny that day was Chygrynskiy twice played the ball long for Zlatan. And it was on. Zlatan nearly went one-on-one with the keeper.

"Pep took him off at half-time, because he didn't respect the pattern. That's the way he studied that team, that's the way he asked us to play."

Henry might be forgiven for getting his times wrong as Chygrynskiy was subbed off at 51 minutes, not 45 minutes.

Nevertheless, the next summer and Chygrynskiy was gone, failing to appease a tough manager in Guardiola, who also loaned Ibrahimovic out to AC Milan.

The Swedish striker never got on with the now-Manchester City boss, who he said had 'no b***s'.

Meanwhile, Chygrynskiy was a little more regretful over his time at Barcelona as he returned to Shakhtar for £15m, less than 12 months after his big move.

Chygrynskiy said: "I missed my chance. I was full of desire to play and sometimes it was like I just wanted to immediately show what I can do, which went against me.

"I felt this difference, that I needed to learn this language of football.

"How to create space. How to defend and all these like the players who were already playing."

It was never going to be easy for the Ukraine international, fighting for a spot along with Carlos Puyol, Gerard Pique, Rafael Marquez and Gabriel Milito - elite names in an elite squad.

It led to just 14 appearances in all competitions for Chygrynskiy, though he is not in the business of blaming others for his difficult stint in Spain.

He said: "I was in too much of a hurry. I put too much pressure on myself. Pep told me: 'Just do what I ask you to do, don't overthink.'

"Unfortunately, experience comes with time, not when you're young. I don't regret anything, I gave my best.

"But if I could go back, I would listen more. To Pep, to the physical trainers, to my environment… But I wanted to do everything immediately.

"Now I think about it and it was a great opportunity to learn without rushing from Marquez, Milito, Puyol… but at the same time you have the ambition to play.

"You're not satisfied with just being there. You want to be important."

Read More on talkSPORT

Ex-Premier League club abandoned futuristic £600million stadium due to financial crisis

Andy Carroll scores 40-yard wonder goal for Amiens as French adventure continues

Chygrynskiy played another five years at Shakhtar before a series of spells at Ukraine and Greece before returning to the club in August for the third time in his career.

Now aged 36, he will face his former club Barcelona and we wouldn't blame him for picking out a long pass to his striker if he does take to the pitch.