CL Last 16 (Dinamo Kiev) (NO City away fans) (24 feb and 15 mar)

[RodneysDribbles10]

BBC 1 o'clock news and Sophie has just told us that Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal now know their opponents in the Champions League!! The RagDipperMeedya are in full swing!!

Thank God someone else heard her say that!!!!.....I thought I imagined it :)....I wonder how they'll do in the CL last 16?????

 

[Blueinbanditcountry]

Well UEFA made sure we got punished for boohooing, just give them an away ban in the last 16

 

[hihosilva]

The fair way would be to hold both legs at the Etihad. That way we are not being punished.

 

[imtangledupinblue]

I wonder how many of their fans will sneak in this time

 

[TonyM]

The fair way would be to hold both legs at the Etihad. That way we are not being punished.

That would make too much sense.

 

[MadchesterCity]

I’ve been saying for years we need to wise up in Europe and master the 1-0 win.

We lost to Kiev last time round with a pretty experienced Mancini squad. Balotelli did get sent off (IIRC) but we had some decent players then, many the same as we have now. We also messed up the CSKA games last year where they were similar, an unfancied eastern European outfit and us playing away in front of a small / strange crowd.

We really need to learn from our mistakes. Playing away first is a huge advantage, we have to get a clean sheet there. No reason why we can’t go there and get c60% possession and a clean sheet! Scoring should be seen secondary to the clean sheet. If we can sus them out over 90mins away and can’t beat them at home then we really don’t deserve to get through.

Would rather take a goal as they count double, you really need an away goal in this competition

 

[NanaToure42]

Look up Dynamo Kiev and their history. Decades ago, they were on par with Bayern Munich, even better. They were considered the best team in Eastern Europe and were considered among the elites like Munich, Real, Milan, Liverpool, etc. Same thing cannot be ever said about City.

City have not looked amazing in their 6 CL games, 2 games they lost to Juventus. I'd say only one game would be considering "intimidating" to Kiev, which was Sevilla away. Let's be honest, City just about beat a poor German opposition home and away. So City aren't an invincible team and I would like if you reduce this cocky attitude.

Take a look at your calendar my friend. You probably have one on your phone, which is in your pocket. It's 2015.

City are chasing top of the table Leicester, and we are not just a football club but a multi billion dollar global enterprise considered among the elites like Muncih, Madrid, Milan, and Liverpool. We should never under estimate our opponents, but I don't think Dynamo's success last century has much to do with these two matches being played in 2016.

 

[Machetero]

Thanks for the post and sorry to hear about the deaths of your friends.
Thanks also for describing your racism troubles. Do you think on appeal that away fans will be allowed to come to the Kiev match?

Sure, president will do everything possible. It's first time in 16 years that we are in CL play-off and very important for kievites moral-vise. Plus elder brother of the president is top manager of UEFA - hope he'll intervene. Playing without supporters makes football pointless.
As for the supporters present at the game with Maccabli - those were indeed UEFA hospitality seats. About 400 (maybe less - depend on venue) there are - devided between clubs, broadcasters and UEFA partners in the territory. Been in such area at Stamford.

 

[Silvas_Left_Foot]

Funny to read some post here.

Firstly - regarding safety in Kiev and 'civil war'.
It is as safe. At least much more safe than living in Brixton London. Combat zone is some 300 miles to the east.
'Civil war'- it's not. It's a war with Russian, hybrid, phoney, undeclared - you name it. I'm 33 and I returned to Kiev and my work (TV) and my family last March after serving one year in the East. Officer of a signal unit (Royal Corps of Signals is your equivalent) in 30th mechanised brigade. Not a professional soldier, just (as every graduate here) had military specialisation according to my uni diploma and got drafted (mandatory)... There are (were) Russians, Chechens, all sort of professional and voluntary shit plus oodles of tanks, apc's petrol and military from our Eastern neighbour, that came across the border to 'protect' Russian language (my primary language) and people of Russian ethnicity (me being one) from Ukrainian 'fasits'. Thanks I don't need such 'protection' and I will never forgive them my brothers in arms killed in the heat of August 2014 and January 2015.

Regarding rasism of our fans. There were 4(four) idiots from ultras fan sector that tried to beat two black supporters of Dinamo. They were stopped by other supporters, but not quickly enough. Those guys were taken by police by now. Everyone is sad that this thing happened and we hope that UEFA will approve our appeal.

As for the future game - yes, indeed, everybody is happy here, since Man City was considered second best (after Wolfsburg) draw for us. It will be really hard, but having one of the best defence lines in this CL - we'll try our best.

Cheers!

Thank you for taking the time to post that, a really interesting read and very informative. My condolences for the deaths of anyone that you knew.
About city, why is it that you see us as one of the weaker teams?

 

[EalingBlue2]

Think the punishments are wrong, we have a thousand or so innocent fans who would've gone and miss out but to be fair there are tens of thousands of innocent Kiev fans some of them kids who miss out through no fault of their own.

I reckon much more serious punishment to actual offenders and fine the club say €1m ft first offence €2m second offence etc - at the moment the main punishment is of innocent fans and that actually impacts far more innocent Kiev fans than innocent City fans.

Keep upping the fine till no champions league money left and give the money very publicly to anti racism groups In those countries so that even the racists don't want racism at football.