On the day of the match Dnipro-1 – Panathinaikos, we recall how the Dnipro club played in the Champions League
July 25, 2023 is a historical date for Dnepr-1. On this day, the young Dnipro club, founded in November 2015, will play in the Champions League for the first time. In the most prestigious club tournament in Europe, Dnipro-1 starts from the second round of qualification with a confrontation with the Greek Panathinaikos. And although even FIFA did not recognize SC Dnipro-1 as the legal successor of that legendary Dnipro, on the day of the match Dnipro-1 – Panathinaikos we will remember how the Dnipro club played earlier in the European Cup / Champions League.
Fourth start
If Dnipro-1 makes its debut in the Champions League, then the usual Dnipro has started three times in this European Cup. Twice – in the still unreformed Champions Cup, as the winner of the USSR championship, once – in the Champions League qualification, as the silver medalist of the UPL championship. Moreover, it was in the Champions League that Dnipro made its debut in European competition.
In the 1984/1985 season, Dnipro, as the champion of the USSR-1983 (due to the spring-autumn system, according to which the Union Championship was held, the teams that won the right to play in European competition had to wait almost a year to start) in the first round of the tournament – 1/16 finals – met with Turkish Trabzonspor. In the first match in Trabzon, the hosts were stronger – 1:0. In response, Dnipro took more than a confident revenge (3:0). In that draw, the Dnipro team reached the quarterfinals (beating out also the Bulgarian Levski), where they lost to Bordeaux in a penalty shootout (both matches ended with a score of 1:1).
In the 1989/1990 season, where Dnipro played as the champion of the USSR-1998, the Dnipro team met with Lindfield in the 1/16 finals. In the first match, which took place in Wales in Wrexham at the stadium of the eponymous club, which has now become famous thanks to the Reynolds District, Racecoroots Grand (Lindfield’s home arena was disqualified due to hooligan actions of the fans), Dnipro won a minimal victory – 2: 1. In the second – also managed with minimal effort. Dnipro also finished its way in the Champions League in that draw in the quarterfinals, beating Tyrol along the way (2:0 and 2:2), failing to get past Benfica – a 0:1 defeat away and 0:3 at home.
The third start of Dnipro-1 in the Champions League is dated 2014. Then Dnipro started from the third round of qualification, having received Copenhagen as rivals. In a nominally home match (which is discussed below), Dnipro ended in a draw – 0:0, lost 0:2 in the away match, having taken off for the Europa League and, as a result, presented the brightest European campaign in the history of the club, reaching the final of the second most important European Cup.
Only one season at home stadium
Interestingly, out of four, taking into account the current seasons in the European Cup/Champions League, Dnipro spent only one at its home arena. It was in the 1989/1990 season. In the 1984/1985 season, due to the closeness, given the rocket industry of the Dnieper, the team hosted its rivals in Krivoy Rog. In the 2014/2014 season, due to hostilities in the Donbass, the home match with Copenhagen was played in Kyiv.
Now, due to a full-scale war unleashed by Russia, Dnepr-1 is forced to play in the Slovak Kosice.
Four coaches
It is noteworthy that Dnipro spent every start in the European Cup/Champions League with a new coach. The team from Dnipro made its debut in the tournament led by Vladimir Yemets. She spent the 1989/1990 season under the control of Evgeny Kucherevsky. In the 2014/2015 season, Dnepr was headed by Miron Markevich. Oleksandr Kucher will lead Dnepr-1 to the match with Panathinaikos.
If we talk about the statistics of his colleagues in the European Cup / Champions League, then Yemets has two wins, two losses and two draws in six games played. Evgeny Kucherevsky has three wins, two losses and a draw in the same period. Miron Markevich has a draw and a defeat in two matches.
How Dnipro played with Greek clubs
It is noteworthy that despite the long and rather rich history of the Dnipro clubs in European competitions, they will meet with the representatives of Greece for the second time. This happened for the first time in the already mentioned 2014/2015 season, in the 1/16 finals of the Europa League, Dnipro knocked Olympiacos out of the draw – 2:0 in Kyiv and 2:2 – in Piraeus.
Source: Sportarena
I’m Todderic Kirkman, a journalist and author for athletistic. I specialize in covering all news related to sports, ranging from basketball to football and everything in between. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, I have become an invaluable asset to my team. My ambition is to bring the most up-to-date information on sports topics around the world.
