Verdict: Home win
Best odds: 8/13
Bookmaker: Olympusbet
Dynamo Kiev will face Partizan at the NSK Olimpijs’kyj on Tuesday in the first leg of their second-round qualifying matchup for the Champions League.
Both teams secured second-place finishes in their respective leagues last season, earning automatic qualification for the second qualifying round via the league path.
Dynamo Kyiv
Dynamo Kiev narrowly missed out on their first Ukrainian Premier League title since the 2020/21 season, finishing just two points behind champions Shakhtar Donetsk. This second-place finish granted the Blue and Whites a spot in the league path of the revamped Champions League qualifying phase, starting in the second round against Partizan.
This matchup marks Dynamo Kiev’s first attempt at Champions League qualification since their 5-0 playoff round loss to Benfica in the 2022-23 season. Following that defeat, they participated in the Europa League but failed to qualify for the Europa Conference League in the subsequent campaign.
Despite recent setbacks, Dynamo Kiev boasts an extensive history in the Champions League, including several group-stage appearances and a notable progression to the round of 16 in the 2015/16 season.
Team News
Dynamo were defeated 3-2 in their most recent friendly outing against Union Berlin, but promising performances from several players in that match could see them earn starting spots in this game.
One such player is Vladyslav Vanat, who was the top scorer in the Ukrainian Premier League last season with 14 goals, and his form would obviously help the Ukranian side threaten seriously.
Partizan Belgrade
Partizan secured their spot in this year’s Champions League qualifications by finishing second in the Mozzart Bet Superliga for the 2023/24 season, behind arch-rivals Red Star Belgrade, the only Serbian club to have ever lifted the most prestigious trophy in club football.
Tuesday’s match marks Partizan’s return to the road for the Champions League for the first time since the 2017/18 season, where they were eliminated by Olympiacos with a 5-3 aggregate loss in the third qualifying round. They have not reached the group stage since the 2010/11 season.
In contrast to their hosts, Partizan’s league campaign is already underway. They began with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over FK Napredak Krusevac, secured by a 93rd-minute goal from Matheus Saldanha.
Aleksandar Stanojevic, now in his third stint as Partizan’s manager, returned to the helm this summer. He aims to lead the club to further success this season, beginning with a potentially crucial second-qualifying-round win against Dynamo Kiev.
Team News
Partizan could field a similar starting XI to the one that began their Mozzart Bet Superliga campaign with a victory last week. Goalscorer Matheus Saldanha is expected to lead the line once again.
New signing Kevin Arriaga impressed in the midfield and is likely to start alongside Aleksandar Scekic, playing just behind Young-jun Goh.
Conclusion
This contest is widely expected to be a tight one as two teams of similar quality levels do battle over two legs. However, Dynamo should be able to get hold of a narrow lead before the rematch, despite playing their home leg at the Arena Lublin in Poland due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Verdict: Home win
Best odds: 8/13
Bookmaker: Olympusbet
- Soccer News Like
- Be the first of your friends!
