The Lowdown
A meeting of old and new forces. Dynamo Kiev were one of Europe's finest teams at the end of the last millennium but have qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions League for the first time in 16 years. Manchester City are there for the third successive season in a row but are looking to make club history by reaching the last eight for the first time in their history. Whereas Dynamo are on course to win a second consecutive Ukrainian title, City are only fourth in the Premier League. The Ukrainian side, who have not played a competitive game since December, should be fresher, if perhaps not at their sharpest. The English team, who have been competing in four competitions, may be fatigued.
How they got here
Dynamo finished second in Group G, largely due to a 2-0 away win against top seeds Porto in their penultimate game. They took four points from their meetings with the Portuguese champions, but only one against Chelsea and lost 2-1 at Stamford Bridge. They only conceded four goals in six group games.
City topped a Champions League group for the first time, despite losing home and away to last season’s finalists Juventus. Helped by some crucial late goals, they had an immaculate record against Sevilla and Borussia Monchengladbach. The pivotal result was a 3-1 win in Spain.
Key Players
Sergio Aguero, Manchester City – Injuries meant he missed half of the group stage but the Argentinian still scored the vital late winner in Monchengladbach. A world-class player at the peak of his powers, he has never displayed his talent in the latter stages of the Champions League.
Andriy Yarmolenko, Dinamo Kiev – The Kiev crowd should savour his presence while they can. The Ukraine winger will attract bids in the summer. Equally capable of scoring and creating goals, he presents a real test for whichever City full-back has to halt him.
See more: The National's Champions League last 16 landing page
Points to Prove
Dynamo Kiev – Can Dynamo’s fans behave themselves? A stadium ban was supposed to be enforced for the first leg because of their racist behaviour but Uefa lifted it. Can their team prosper away? Their victory in Portugal ranked among the most surprising and impressive results in this season’s Champions League. Their destiny probably rests on how they fare at the Etihad Stadium in March.
Manchester City – Much of the City team have a point to prove. Too few have performed consistently well in Europe, with Joe Hart and rare and admirable exception. For Yaya Toure, in particular, it represents a chance to prove his doubters wrong. A group of underachievers on the European stage could do with delivering a statement, both to impress their future manager Pep Guardiola and to ensure the departing Manuel Pellegrini goes on a high.
The National’s Verdict
City’s only two previous ventures to the knockout stages were abruptly ended by Barcelona. Confronted by lesser, though still difficult, opponents, they should make a maiden voyage to the quarter-finals, assuming they can escape a trip to Ukraine without suffering much damage.
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