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The champagne glasses were barely dry after Dynamo’s victory over Gent in the Champions League playoffs, which marked the first time in four years that the Kiev team has participated in the main continental tournament, it is time to move on from the vacation to work. On the first day of October the draw for the Champions League group stage will take place, and two of our plenipotentiaries, Shakhtar and Dynamo, will recognize their rivals. The Ukrainian champions entered the second basket in the draw, the vice-champions – in the third. By definition they cannot meet in the group stage, these are the rules. How can they not play in the same group with Russian clubs? However, the choice of rivals is quite wide, with the rivals more heterogeneous. And the results of the draw will depend on the “well-being” of our teams in the group: either they will fight for the playoffs, or for survival.
On the eve of the Champions League draw, Sport.ua, anticipating the events, offers three draw options for Dynamo opponents: good, bad and neutral.
Option № 1 – good: “Porto”, “Ajax”, “Dynamo”, “Ferencvaros”
In the UCL group round, there are practically no downright weak opponents. Except seasons, when teams like BATE or Astana reach the main round. But in the current Champions League, almost all clubs are competitive, even Midtjylland, and in this sense, finding the worst among the best is not an easy task. But we tried. And this is what happened.
Let’s get Porto out of the first basket: because apart from the champions of Portugal, there is no one else to take (quite possibly, Zenit would be a more convenient rival, but we did not cross paths with their clubs). Let “Ajax” fall from the second basket. Again, according to a similar scheme: because there is no one else, everyone else is no match for us (more precisely, we are for them), and the Kiev players cannot play with Shakhtar by regulation (in the group stage , UEFA divides the clubs of the same federation). Well, for a sandwich, that is, from the fourth basket, let the Ferencvaros fall. Yes, the Hungarian champions may not be the weakest contender in this basket. But his coach, our Sergei Rebrov, really asked that the draw be done in a group, both his former team and his current one. So be it, let’s get to know it. Total: Porto, Ajax, Dynamo, Ferencvaros.
Option number 2 – bad: Bayern, Barcelona, Dynamo, Marseille
Here everything is very simple. In the first two groups, there were very serious opponents, not like those with whom the Kievites played in the Champions League standings. If you are unlucky with the batch, then real “monsters” may appear. And in the fourth basket there are rivals, say, digestible, and also downright undesirable. So if suddenly the people of Kiev are not very lucky, which they really would not like, but that option cannot be completely ruled out, the group with the participation of Lucescu’s team can look like this: Bayern, Barcelona, Dynamo , Marseille. …
To be objective, in such (or similar) group, our team will, in the best of cases, fight for third place. But, on the other hand, where, if not in a similar quartet, you can check your true level and pleasantly surprise the greats with your insistence and motivation.
However, such (or similar) group is not very desirable, to put it mildly. Still, I would like the Dynamo league championship story to continue and not turn into a tragedy. So let’s assume that the Kiev team draw will be more favorable.
Option number 3 – neutral: Sevilla, Borussia D, Dynamo, Istanbul Bashakshehir
In this situation, drop Sevilla and Borussia (Dortmund) from the first and second basket, respectively. Neither the first nor the second can take away the experience and skill, but nevertheless these teams at this stage are not “machines”, but teams. Both Sevilla and Dortmund have undergone personnel changes compared to the previous season. To be more precise, both teams have gotten a little “younger”. That is, as long as all the stars are in the correct configuration for the Dynamo, you can compete with these clubs. In any case, you can try to play on equal terms. Let’s pick Istanbul from the fourth basket: the Turkish team is no better than the Dynamo now, but, like the Ukraine vice-champions, they can spoil anyone’s blood.
Read also: Who are Shakhtar’s rivals? Three variants of the Champions League draw for the Miners
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