It's easy to be in second gear for Kyiv though, i mean....
Their biggest rivals in Dnipro and Shakhtar have both faced huge disadvantages, whilst an other good team, who we all know too well, Metallist Kharkiv, are on their arse, as their President done a runner, so they're no longer a force.
Shakhtar, having to play over 1,000mi from their home ground, and with the place the players call home seemingly in ruin, and their security under threat, players aren't happy, and are away from home, you may have seen that half their Brazilians went AWOL through fear. Yeah, well Imagine Everton having to play every home game 1,200km away from Goodison, that's Turin. So Dynamo have had a lot go their way this season, last season, they languished in 4th, which is their worst ever placing, since Ukraine Split from the Soviet Union.
Whilst they certainly shouldn't be written off, nor should they be taken lightly, anything but, we've got extremely lucky with the fact key players like Belhanda will miss the first leg, but with other extremely good players like Vitorino Antunes, Jermain Lens and Dragovic, they've got some quality, but crucially I think they're doable.
I realise fans have booked flights over, and I'd hate to see them lose out, but a closed stadium would work out a treat for us, especially if we have a 2-0 lead going back over there.
Our Route to Last 16. Group: Wolfsburg, Lille OSC, FK Krasnodar finishing 1st. Knockouts: BSC Young Boys: 7-2 on Agg.
Kyiv Route to last 16. Group: Aab Aalborg, Steaua Bucharest, Rio Ave. 1st. Knockouts: Guingamp, won 4-3 on agg.
We've certainly faced harder teams too, losing just one also on the way. I think we've got a great chance of going through.