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FC Barcelona return to action in the UEFA Champions League as they travel away to face Dynamo Kyiv on Tuesday. It is a must-win fixture for both teams who are languishing in the bottom half of their table.
Dynamo Kyiv are at rock bottom of Group E with just one point from three games. They have drawn one and lost two of their matches in the Champions League campaign so far. While Dynamo Kyiv are strong on the domestic front, another defeat in Europe will surely kill their chances of qualifying for the knockout rounds.
Meanwhile, Barcelona are enduring a difficult start to the campaign after the departure of their former captain Lionel Messi in the summer. They are ninth in the La Liga table, with just 16 points after eleven matches. In Europe, they have won just one game - against Dynamo Kyiv in the reverse fixture.
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With both teams struggling to gain momentum, this encounter can give both teams much-needed confidence for their future. On that note, let us take a look at our
Top 5 predictions for Dynamo Kyiv vs Barcelona
#5 Key Absentees a concern for Barcelona
Things are clearly not going Barcelona's way as evident from their recent slump. Ronald Koeman was sacked after their consecutive defeats against Real Madrid and Rayo Vallecano. The Catalan giants were again held by Alaves in their last game, leaving them winless in their last three matches.
To pile on their misery, the Blaugranas will be without Gerard Pique, Ronald Araujo, Sergio Aguero and Ansu Fati due to injuries. Key players like Pedri, Frenkie De Jong, Ousmane Dembele and Sergi Roberto are also doubtful for the tie. Another doubt will be around Sergio Aguero, who has been diagnosed with cardiac arrhythmia after complaining of chest pain in the match against Alaves.
The major absentees will be a concern for the Catalan giants as they are severely depleted at the moment.
#4 Dynamo Kyiv to keep it tight at the back
Dynamo Kyiv has taken a defensive approach in Europe throughout the current campaign. Although they were humbled by Bayern Munich and Barcelona, they managed to secure a point against Benfica due to their defensive style of play.
The Ukrainian side are yet to open their scoring in the Champions League. Dynamo Kyiv has conceded six goals and their only point came from a goalless draw against Benfica.
With Barcelona being a better side on paper, Dynamo Kyiv will likely take a defensive approach again and hit back on counters. .
#3 Memphis Depay to get his name on the scoresheet
Although Barcelona are enduring a difficult campaign so far, star signing Memphis Depay has been one of their rare bright spots. The Dutch forward arrived at the Nou Camp on a free transfer this summer and showcased his caliber with some powerful performances.
Depay has racked up five goals and two assists in the Spanish top flight but he is yet to open his account in Europe. In his three appearances in the Champions League, the 27-year-old did not make any impact in front of goal.
Nonetheless, Depay has been in a good vein of form. He again showed his brilliance to score the solitary goal against Alaves in their last league match.
With players like Ansu Fati and Sergio Aguero injured, Barcelona's hopes of scoring goals will heavily depend on Depay. It would also be a perfect opportunity for the winger to justify his potential in Europe. Depay will likely grab this chance with both hands to get his name on the scoresheet.
#2 Dynamo Kyiv’s leaky defence to encourage Barcelona forwards
Dynamo Kyiv are going strong in the Ukrainian top flight, leading the league table by some margin. They are yet to taste defeat in the domestic league and are at the top of the table with 35 points in 13 games.
However, things cannot be more different in the Champions League as the Ukrainian team are yet to register a win. They have conceded six times in the first three games and have not scored even once. This shows their poor performance in Europe.
Barcelona won by a narrow margin in the reverse fixture but Bayern Munich showed flaws in the Ukrainian team's defense. Although the Catalan giants are depleted, our guess is that Kyiv's defensive-minded approach will not be enough to stop them from scoring.
#1 A narrow win for Barcelona
There is no margin for error for both sides when they face each other in the Champions League. With Ronald Koeman no longer at the helm, Barcelona will be raring to make a fresh start and go all out for victory. Dynamo Kyiv will also be looking to mount a shock by taking a point or three from the tie.
The La Liga giants have a clear advantage when we consider the history of their meetings. Dynamo Kyiv are yet to register a win against Barcelona in all their meetings. Although Barcelona won by a narrow margin in their last match, they have registered big victories in the past against the Ukrainian side.
Our guess is that Barcelona will once again rise to the challenge, dominate and end up winning against Kyiv.
