---
title: "\"Until it's 10.5%, you won't make the squad\": Khomchenovskyi on weight penalties at Spanish club Ponferradina"
description: "Dmytro Khomchenovskyi shared how he was dropped from matches at Spanish club Ponferradina due to having 14% body fat against a required 10.5%, and expressed surprise at getting three days off mid-week instead of exhausting training sessions at Zorya."
date: 2026-11-09T13:40:14.763Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/khomchenovskiy-ponferradina-body-fat-10-5-percent
tags: [football, ukraine, spain, ponferradina, zarya, khomchenovskiy, transfer, segunada]
author: "Andrey Kosynko"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# "Until it's 10.5%, you won't make the squad": Khomchenovskyi on weight penalties at Spanish club Ponferradina

![Ukrainian midfielder Dmytro Khomchenovskyi in a black T-shirt with a ball on a football pitch](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/09/khomchenovskiy-ponferradina-zhir-10-5-procentov/khomchenovskiy-ponferradina-zhir-10-5-procentov-1.webp)

## Key Points

- Khomchenovskyi moved to Ponferradina in 2015 after a deal with Polish club Jagiellonia fell through
- The coaching staff dropped him from matches due to having 14% body fat instead of the required 10.5%
- In Spain, the team was given two to three days off mid-week, contrasting with workloads at Zorya
- During the 2015/16 season, the midfielder played 17 matches without goal contributions
- Despite the short stint, Khomchenovskyi learned Spanish and gained valuable life experience

Former Zorya Luhansk and Ukraine national team midfielder Dmytro Khomchenovskyi recently recalled his first foreign experience playing for the Spanish club Ponferradina during the 2015/16 season. The former footballer, who was considered one of the most promising midfielders in Ukrainian football at the time, confessed that he faced a number of unexpected challenges ranging from a language barrier to strict coaching staff requirements regarding players' physical parameters. According to him, it was in Spain that he first encountered sanctions in his career related not to tactical errors or disciplinary violations, but to the specifics of his own body.

### A transfer that happened at the last moment

Moving to Spain was the result of a chain of events for Khomchenovskyi, where his initial plan collapsed just days before signing the contract. Following successful performances with Zorya, the midfielder considered continuing his career at Polish club Jagiellonia, but the deal fell through at the last moment. Left without a specific offer, the footballer quickly agreed to an invitation from Ponferradina, which played in the Spanish Segunda Division. Thus, his first foreign contract was signed almost on the run, without thorough preparation for the move and adaptation.

### Daily life, language barrier, and McDonald's before the match

Adaptation in the new city proved difficult. Khomchenovskyi noted that at the time of his arrival in Ponferradina, local festivals were taking place: practically nothing worked on weekends, and the language barrier aggravated everyday difficulties. It was hard for the Ukrainian player to find food, understand the schedules of local establishments, and generally navigate the unfamiliar environment. By his own admission, before one of the matches, he went to McDonald's, which—as he realizes in hindsight—was far from the best preparation for a game. Nevertheless, it was during this period that Khomchenovskyi began actively learning Spanish, which he eventually mastered well enough for everyday communication.

### Body fat as a reason for being dropped from matches

The most unexpected and, according to the footballer himself, the most serious test was the coaching staff's requirements regarding physical shape. Ponferradina was extremely strict about body fat percentage: Khomchenovskyi was told that until his figure dropped to 10.5%, he would not be included in the matchday squad. At the time of his arrival at the club, his body fat was 14%. "I was suspended from games and even some training sessions because of my body fat percentage. They said that until it was 10.5%—and I had 14% at the time—I wouldn't make the matchday squad," Dmytro said. For a Ukrainian footballer accustomed to a different system of physical conditioning control, such an attitude toward body composition metrics came as a genuine cultural shock.

### Two days off mid-week: training methods in Spain

The approach to the training process itself differed significantly from the usual realities of Ukrainian football. Under Yuriy Vernydub at Zorya, the workloads were exhausting and regular, whereas in Spain the team could get two or three days off in a row right in the middle of the week. When Khomchenovskyi expressed a desire to train extra, the coaching staff advised him to rest more, sleep properly, and eat right. At the same time, due to a lack of communication at the initial stage, the Ukrainian did not immediately understand the mentors' tactical requirements. "By the time I understood what they wanted from me, I had already left the team," he summarized with humor. Ultimately, during the 2015/16 season, Khomchenovskyi played 17 matches for Ponferradina without making any goal contributions.

### A short experience that paid off

Despite the fact that his career in Spain did not last long, Khomchenovskyi acknowledges that this experience proved valuable. He managed to learn Spanish, get acquainted with a different philosophy of preparation and daily life, and gain an understanding of how professional football is structured in another country. For a footballer who was just beginning his journey outside of Ukraine in 2015, even a short spell in the Segunda Division became an important stage of personal and professional development. Today, Khomchenovskyi—whose career continued at other clubs—remembers Ponferradina without resentment, rather as an interesting chapter where he learned more about himself and world football than he expected.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- [Фастфуд перед матчем и штраф за вес: как звезда УПЛ попал в скандал в европейском клубе](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/football/fastfud-pered-matchem-i-shtraf-vagu-k-zirka-1794231358.html) - Primary source: Khomchenovskyi's interview. All quotes and facts (14% fat, 10.5% norm, 17 matches, failed Jagiellonia deal, 2-3 days off) are taken directly from the source text. No discrepancies with other sources were found.

## FAQ

### Why was Khomchenovskyi dropped from matches at Ponferradina?

The coaching staff set a body fat norm of 10.5%, while Khomchenovskyi's figure upon arrival was 14%. Until this value dropped, he was not included in match squads and his participation in training was limited.

### How many matches did Khomchenovskyi play for Ponferradina?

In the 2015/16 season, Dmytro Khomchenovskyi played 17 matches for the Spanish Segunda Division club without scoring or assisting.

### How did Khomchenovskyi end up in Spain?

Initially, the midfielder considered a transfer to Polish club Jagiellonia, but the deal fell through at the last moment. Afterward, he quickly agreed to Ponferradina's offer.

### How did training at Ponferradina differ from Zorya?

In Spain, the team could get two or three days off in a row mid-week, and when Khomchenovskyi wanted to train additionally, the coaching staff advised him to rest and sleep more. At Zorya under Vernydub, workloads were significantly more grueling.