When Russia attacks Ukraine in late February, football there also comes to a standstill. The league is suspended. First the big teams play friendlies, then they return to European competitions for the new season. Figurehead Dynamo Kyiv is now on the verge of a coup.
The Ukrainian soccer record champion Dynamo Kyiv can still hope for a starting place in the Champions League – the last hurdle are now Benfica Lisbon and the German coach Roger Schmidt. Kyiv won the second leg of the third qualifying round at Austrian runners-up Sturm Graz 2-1 (0-1, 0-1) after extra time, in the first leg on neutral ground Dynamo had prevailed 1-0 in Lodz, Poland.
Kyiv played only their fourth competitive game since the start of the Russian war of aggression, and the game in the Ukrainian league has been suspended since February. Now the top team is still in the play-offs for the premier class: in the second half of August it is against Lisbon, the winner is in the group phase. Benfica won their second leg at Danish runners-up FC Midtjylland 3-1 (1-0), Schmidt’s team had already dominated the first leg 4-1. National player Julian Weigl was not used by the Portuguese. The midfielder has been linked with a return to the Bundesliga for some time.
However, the “Bundesliga branch” of AS Monaco will not play in the Champions League. The team from the principality failed in the top duel of the third round at PSV Eindhoven, on Tuesday evening Monaco lost the second leg in the Netherlands 2-3 (2-2, 0-1) after extra time. It was 1-1 in the first leg.
Goalkeeper Alexander Nübel, ex-national player Kevin Volland and former U21 player Ismail Jakobs were all in Monaco’s starting XI. Former Mönchengladbacher Breel Embolo from Switzerland came on for Volland in the second half – but another ex-Borussian made the decision on the other side: Luuk de Jong scored in the second half of extra time to win for PSV, with the ex -National player Philipp Max had been in the starting XI. Eindhoven now meets Glasgow Rangers. The Europa League finalists beat Belgian club Royale Union Saint-Gilloise 3-0. They lost the first leg 2-0.
