Fenerbahce and Dynamo Kiev both have their sights set on a place in the Champions League, as they meet for the first leg of their second qualifying round tie with kickoff at 9 pm.
Six teams will reach the 2022-23 Champions League group stage via qualifying, and Dynamo Kyiv’s attempts to do so against the odds start at their new base in Poland. The Ukrainian capital’s main club journeyed around Europe after the Ukrainian Premier League was cancelled mid-season.
The final stop on their trek around the continent took Mircea Lucescu’s men to Brussels on Friday evening, when they were beaten 2-1 in their last warm-up match against Royal Antwerp, and they have since returned to their temporary home in Lodz.
Due to turn 77 later this month, Lucescu is one of the oldest managers still operating at the top level of European football. From 2004 until 2016, he spent his 12 most successful years at Dynamo’s arch-rivals Shakhtar Donetsk.
After finishing second in Turkey’s top flight last season, now Fenerbahce kick off a new season under the stewardship of a new coach.
The Istanbul club are 19-time national champions, but they have not actually lifted the Super Lig trophy since 2014, as capital city rivals Galatasaray, Besiktas and Istanbul Basaksehir have instead dominated in recent years.
Dynamo Kyiv vs Fenerbahce Head to Head
Both sides have five games against each other with hosts taking two wins while visitors winless. Here is a look at their previous encounters:
Home
- Royal Antwerp 2-1 Dynamo Kyiv
- Lyon 3-0 Dynamo
- Lyon 1-3 Dynamo
- FC Luzern 1-2 Dynamo Kyiv
Away
- Fenerbahce 2-0 Hull City
- Fenerbahce 3-0 MOL Fehervar
- Fenerbahce 1-0 FK Partizan
- Al Shamal 2-4 Fenerbahce
Dynamo Kyiv Team News
Dynamo have kept most of their treble-winning squad together over the past few months, though more recent exits include Georgian winger Heorhiy Tsitaishvili, who joined Lech Poznan on loan, and midfielder Gerson Rodrigues, who has moved to Saudi Arabia to play for Al-Wehda on a temporary basis.
Fenerbahce Team News
Fenerbahce have been busy this summer, with Lincoln and Emre Mor joining the club, while Diego Rossi has made his transfer permanent and Portuguese forward Bruma joins compatriot Jorge Jesus at the club – signing on loan from PSV Eindhoven.
Prediction and Odds
The reputation of Jorge Jesus is formidable, and Fener are likely to strike back at some point; narrowing their opponents’ lead.
- Home Win
- Both Teams to Score
- Goals Over 1.5
