Our prediction for this Europa League match:
Villarreal and Dynamo Kiev take on each other at Estadio de la Ceramica in the Europa League last 16, return leg. The Yellow Submarine aim to build on a 3-1 La Liga win over Eibar, and they must be high on spirits ahead of the visit of Dynamo Kiev. Raul Albiol returns from suspension, while Coquelin, Iborra, Moreno, Pena, and Torres are all likely to miss the match through injuries.
The Ukrainian outfit, on the other hand, face an uphill task in the return leg as they need to overcome a two-goal deficit on the road. Anyhow, Villarreal are a real force to be reckoned with at home, and we predict that the Yellows are going to prove their worth on the field. It has to be noted that Villarreal are on a four-game winning run at home in the Europa League.
Highlighted Player (Ramiro Funes Mori):
Argentina isn’t known to produce great talents in defence but Ramiro Jose Funes Mori is an exception. The 25-year-old started his football career in the United States with FC Dallas. He won an MLS talent competition to get into their youth team but it was less than a year before he moved back to Argentina.
Mori joined River Plate as a youth player in 2008 and progressed to their senior team within three years. The young defender is nothing short of a club legend at River Plate having won six titles with the team. More than the titles and his performances, it was his performances in important games that is still vividly remembered.
His iconic goal against Boca Juniors is still part of the folklore. Mori joined English Premier League club Everton in 2015 and soon established himself as a regular there. Mori represented Argentina seven times and yet to score in national colors.
Highlighted Team (Dynamo Kyiv):
The most successful football club in Ukraine, Dynamo Kyiv has not been relegated to a lower division since its inception in 1927. First founded as a part of the Soviet Dynamo Sports Society, Dynamo Kyiv became a member of the Ukrainian Premier League after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Over the course of its rich history, Dynamo Kyiv has won the total of 28 national titles, 13 of which came during the Soviet era. In addition, Dynamo Kyiv won 20 national cup competitions, while it also grabbed 3 major continental trophies, including two UEFA Cup Winners’ Cups. Oleh Blokhin remains to this date the most successful player of the Ukrainian giants with his 266 goals scored for the Kyiv club.
However, current Ukraine national team head coach Andriy Shevchenko is arguably the most recognisable player in Dynamo Kyiv history. Former Milan and Chelsea star scored the total of 124 goal during his two stints with the Ukrainian club.