Blues handed Kyiv test

, 27 February, 103comments  |  Jump to most recent
Everton will face Dynamo Kyiv in the round of 16 following today's draw in Nyon, Switzerland with the home leg first on 12th March and away the leg on the 19th.

The Blues were again paired in the first draw out the pot and will travel east again to face the Ukrainian league leaders. Roberto Martinez took his charges to Krasnodar during the group stage and earned a 1-1 draw against the Russian club in early October on their last trans-Continental trek.

Kyiv progressed from the round of 32 by beating Guingamp 3-1 in Kyiv last night to win 4-3 on aggregate in a match that had to be suspended at one point due to crowd disturbances.

The president of the French side, Bernard Desplat, reportedly told RMC: “I saw a stadium at war with rabid dogs that wanted to fight. These are not fans, they are militiamen," after fighting broke out between home fans following an attempted pitch invasion to confront Guingamp fans.

There have been suggestions that Uefa could force Dynamo to play the next leg behind closed doors but no decision has been made yet.

Holders Sevilla will play the other Spanish side left in the competition, Villarreal, while bookies' favourites Wolfsburg were drawn against Inter.

Full draw:

Everton vs Dynamo Kyiv
Dnipro vs Ajax
Zenit vs Torino
Wolfsburg vs Inter Milan
Villarreal vs Sevilla
Napoli vs Dinamo Moscow
Club Brugge vs Besiktas
Fiorentina vs Roma

 

Reader Comments (103)

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Anthony Flack
1 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:17:12
Lovely!
Brian Murray
2 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:17:06
Are they any good?
Ciaran Duff
3 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:17:53
Tough one, especially playing home leg first.
Andrew Laird
4 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:18:26
Quite possibly the worst draw for Everton’s fans, they will not be safe inside or outside the ground judging by the Kiev tie with Guingamp.
Sean Keigher
5 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:21:00
Hope UEFA make Kiev play this at a neutral venue afer last nightÂ’s trouble. DonÂ’t fancy travelling to a warzone. Kill the tie off at Goodison with a 3-goal cushion and be done with it!
David Hallwood
6 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:24:10
Where will the away tie be played?
John Atkins
7 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:23:29
Not great for the fans but could have been a lot worse with much better teams than Kiev. The good news is that some top teams are playing each other. A nice quarter-final tie against Ajax would be good...
Karl Parsons
8 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:27:15
I'm going. Better up my life insurance first, like.
Steve Brown
9 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:28:49
That is not a bad draw at all!
Steve Brown
10 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:29:44
Wolfsburg vs Inter Milan
Villarreal vs Sevilla
Fiorentina vs Roma

That’s also 3 big rivals who will exit.

Eric Holland
11 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:30:51
Some of the favorites are going out with that draw!!!
Will do me nicely.
Tony Waring
12 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:29:35
We’ll be OK especially if Gibson sends some RPG passes from the middle of the park to a waiting Rom, sitting on a tank.
David Hallwood
13 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:32:19
Surely it will be played away from Ukraine, itÂ’s a war zone FFS with a no-fly zone after the plane was downed.
Chris Regan
14 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:29:03
Quite pleased with this draw in a football sense. But on a player/fan safety level a bit worried. Still Uefa know what theyÂ’re doing.

If anyone saw the draw online, you will have heard Jerzy Dudek praising Wolfsburg when asked about strong teams left in the competition. He forgot to mention us beating them home and away – typical Kopite.

Phil Walling
15 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:31:33
Wolfsburg installed as 7/1favourites to win the trophy. Corals have taken down their 16/1 against Everton on offer earlier this morning but 14s available from Betfair. Still a decent price.
Paul Thompson
16 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:32:04
Their hardcore (many racist, neo-Nazi) fans are amongst Europe’s worst. After they invaded the pitch last night to attack the French fans and were stopped, they started fighting amongst themselves. Let’s just hope that UEFA act and shift it somewhere else.
Dick Brady
17 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:34:01
Would have wanted to play away first but its a good fixture. Fancy us to beat them.
Ben Howard
18 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:34:13
Not a great draw for the fans as Ukraine can be hostile to say the least. But, a great draw in terms of our potential progression. And, to be sure of losing 2 of Seville, Villarreal, Wolfsburg and Inter is the best news of all. Beginning to dream?
Steve Brown
19 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:36:30
Kiev also had serious crowd trouble last night.
Karl Parsons
20 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:34:49
Excellent, Chinook Airlines are doing a special
Tony Hill
21 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:37:35
As good as we could have expected.
Steve Brown
22 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:37:32
So nice empty stadium or neutral ground for the away leg.
Patrick Murphy
23 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:35:44
Hopefully Everton will do the job in the first-leg and make the return academic, thereby allowing supporters to save their money for the Quarter-Final game. Dudek did the draw (again?) you canÂ’t keep them away from the limelight can you and Everton the first team out of the hat....mmmm! I wonder!
Steve Brown
24 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:38:37
Karl, you could hitch a ride on a Russian tank.
John Raftery
25 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:32:22
No easy ties at this stage but we have avoided the top clubs. Dynamo finished 4th in their league last year and tend not to travel well. Ideally we will nail the tie in the first leg but as with all things Everton we can bet it will not be straightforward.
Nick Wall
26 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:37:32
Bad draw for our fans - do your research if you’re thinking of going. Here’s one scary report of last night’s clash - http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/feb/27/crowd-trouble-dynamo-kiev-europa-league-guingamp.

In footballing terms though, this is a winnable tie. Their team is nothing special. And playing at home first shouldn’t be too much of a handicap, we’ve shown that we can go away in Europe and get results.

Denis Richardson
27 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:41:40
Can’t complain with that, could have been much much tougher.

Hopefully get a good result at home in the firat leg and take it from there..

Paul Andrews
28 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:45:18
Don’t expect Romelu to score another 5 in this tie.
Three will do nicely
John Malone
29 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:39:38
No good for a jolly for the fans and will be a difficult place to play, another test for the young Lukaku this will be a big learning curve for him playing in such a shithole with sickening racist gobshite fans. Hopefully we’ve got the charcter in the squad to get through this tough tie, if we do I will start believing we can win it!
Anthony Flack
30 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:41:33
I think based on Nick's link to the Guardian report, UEFA might need to do something. I just hope it is not to play behind closed doors as that will disadvantage us....
James Stewart
31 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:48:57
They are no mugs, Danilo, Veluso, Lens, Mbokani, Yarmolenko.

Yarmolenko is the danger man. Will be a tough game. My advice would be for any blues to stay away from the away leg. If Uefa let them play at their stadium after what happened last match it will be a disgrace.

Chris Gould
32 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:49:22
There's no suggestion in the media of the away leg being played on a neutral ground. The Guingamp players were petrified of scoring after the pitch invasion last night. Our players will struggle to focus if they are at all concerned about these maniacs rampaging. I hope Everton push hard for a neutral venue. The Kiev fans are fucking psycho morons.
Doug Harris
33 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:54:06
Last year Valencia v Kiev was staged in Cyprus Nicosia to be exact. Now that would be sound.
Kevin Tully
34 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:50:32
Sounds as if they need throwing out of the competition - Imagine the repercussions if this was an English side?

The Guingamp president, Bernard Desplat, reportedly told RMC: "I saw a stadium at war with rabid dogs that wanted to fight. There were 11 heroes in Guingamp colours on the field because organising a match in these security conditions, when the safety of a certain group is not assured, is catastrophic for football.

"These are not fans, they are militiamen. Restarting play? How do you expect the players to focus on their game? It was extremely dangerous. This match could only have happened in Ukraine under these conditions."

Gavin McGarvey
35 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:55:10
Tough match, but all of those teams in the last 16 look difficult. Playing away in the second game will make things even more difficult. Still, they played great last night, and if we take that form into the next match we would absolutely stuff almost anyone.

I really did think we looked good, not as dangerous without Lukaku but still creating good chances. Fingers crossed we can keep going like that in Europe and who knows whether Uefa might not do us a favour in terms of the venue for the second leg. COYB.

Bob McEvoy
36 Posted 27/02/2015 at 13:01:58
On the evidence of the Guardian report, Guingamp should be awarded the tie. Fat chance of Uefa doing that.
Mike Childs
37 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:57:43
One can only hope UEFA's greed will force them to choose a neutral site because if they keep them home they would have to choose to play in an empty stadium after yesterday.
Derek Thomas
38 Posted 27/02/2015 at 12:48:06
The establishment favourites (Wolfsburg, ffs???) get a a free ride, as do Napoli.

Villarreal, Seville, Roma and Fiorentina get a hard deal, only one of each to go through into the quarterfinals.

The other 4 sets of two in the draw can fight it out between them to be round of 8 cannon fodder.

We will get through and we won't draw Wolfsburg... if they win.

It's a hard road to Warsaw.

Andrew Ellams
40 Posted 27/02/2015 at 13:12:57
Derek, Wolfsburg drew Inter. They are not the side they were under Mourinho but they are no mugs either.
Derek Thomas
41 Posted 27/02/2015 at 13:08:43
Uefa must have the sense to know that English fans will not lay down and be walked over.

This could all end in tears.

Jay Wood
42 Posted 27/02/2015 at 13:18:53
Gotta take that draw with the quality left in. Hope we take full advantage of it and progress to the last 8. Some big clubs will be knocking each other out, clearing the path a wee bit for the quarters.

Kiev is not such a long haul as going into deepest Russia, either, but the security situation may be a bit hairy. Wasn’t aware of last night’s crowd problems in Kiev, so there might be a travel ban for away fans.

We could be playing the away leg in a closed stadium, or neutral ground...

James Marshall
43 Posted 27/02/2015 at 13:13:56
I fail to understand the logic in the betting market - we battered Wolfsburg 6-1 over two games, and didn't Young Boys beat Napoli? We stuck 7 past those mugs!!

Fuck the bookies - our odds are well worth a few quid.

Derek Thomas
44 Posted 27/02/2015 at 13:21:07
Andrew #40 there aren't many mugs at this level, but Wolfsburg as favourites ffs after the way we did them over.

If your face fits you're in

Anthony Lewis
45 Posted 27/02/2015 at 13:24:08
Pleased with that draw.

Bookie odds are worked out on how many bets are placed. More bets on Wolfsburg have obviously been placed. Not really the bookies' fault.

Andrew Ellams
46 Posted 27/02/2015 at 13:30:47
I guess the bookies take domestic form into the equation too. But so what? UEFA don't set them. And to be fair, bookies are right more often than not.
Peter Killey
47 Posted 27/02/2015 at 13:33:14
Just looked on Uefa's site and all they got about the racist fans and the Kiev crazies is this, and from the general secretary:

"We have to acknowledge around the previous rounds of matches, scenes of violence and racism in and out of the stadiums that neither Uefa nor any true football fan can tolerate," Mr Infantino told the audience.

"That is why we call once again upon all stakeholders to unite and do their utmost to put a full stop to these ugly scenes that we do not want to see any more.

Just shows they are not going to do nothing about it, except ask the countries FAs to deal with it. We will be going to a war zone to play football, a war zone! The British government is saying "Let's stop our youngsters going away to countries where there is war," but Uefa think it is fine?

Gavin Johnson
48 Posted 27/02/2015 at 13:36:10
James #43, I didn't know that Young Boys had beaten Napoli, so having beaten them so easily and thrashed the favourites over 2 legs, we should have belief in ourselves.

I said in another thread earlier in the week, that my main worries were the domestic sides. Now they're both out and the other big sides have been drawn against other favourites, the path to Warsaw could be wide open.

Kevin O'Regan
49 Posted 27/02/2015 at 13:49:53
Seems the French fans were looking for trouble last night - reports here in Germany say they held up a banner saying 'Crimea is part of Russia'.

Ah well. I won't be heading that way anyway. Kiev is not directly in the war zone, but still like a volcano ready to erupt.

Sam Hoare
50 Posted 27/02/2015 at 13:51:31
I agree Gavin, would be most worried about Spurs or RS in particular who still have a hoodoo over us.

We've got a real shot at this cup with those two gone and many of the 'big guns' pitted against each other. I reckon Wolfsburg, Sevilla and Napoli will be the teams to beat.

James Newcombe
51 Posted 27/02/2015 at 13:57:36
Bring em on, we'll just have to stuff them at Goodison!
Kevin Tully
52 Posted 27/02/2015 at 13:56:55
Just watched a video of the trouble at last night's game. I've seen uglier scenes outside our local chippy on a Saturday night ; Link
Nick Page
53 Posted 27/02/2015 at 13:39:03
Wolfsburg added Schurle in the January transfer window. No mugs.
Helen Mallon
54 Posted 27/02/2015 at 13:52:59
Everton need to say no and not go. It would be very irresponsible for the management team to take our players to a war zone and expect them to play at their best. We need to push for a neutral ground or tell them no we won't play especially behind closed doors.
Jim Knightley
55 Posted 27/02/2015 at 14:04:34
This is a good draw in terms of footballing ability, but not for our fans, or players, in the away leg. We must nevertheless be favorites to progress into a last 8 lacking at least two of the biggest threats.

Interestingly, we could be the only English team left involved in a couple of weeks, with City and Arsenal heading out, and the Chelski tie in the balance (Although I expect them to progress). It will do English's differential no good.

Andrew Ellams
56 Posted 27/02/2015 at 14:09:20
So Helen are advocating Everton forfeiting from the competition? Because that is how UEFA would see a threat like that
Edward Petrychevsky
57 Posted 27/02/2015 at 13:57:23
What are you writing guys? "such a shithole with sickening racist gobshite fans", is it ok to write something like that, about a place, where you never been before? We hosted an Euro-2012, and I made a lot of friends from UK, that came to visit some matches of your national team. And everybody were happy.

Of course, we got and difficult situation at the moment, and some of this French fans provoked us with banner "Crimea is Russia" and russian national Flag, thatÂ’s not an excuse, cos we should still be polite etc, but that doesnÂ’t mean, that every supporter in Kiev or Ukraine will answer on such a Provocation.

Yesterday there were 55.000 people on the stadium, and you made conclusion on behavior of 20 idiots... Other 55.000 screamed "shame!" on them. I guess you know, what screamed Chelsea Fans in Paris Underground? So should I think, that every football-fan in UK is a Racist?? In Dynamo Kyiv we got players from Surinam, Morocco, DR Kongo, Brazil, Portugal etc. Should I worry about them? And do you think it would help you, if the game will be on the neutral pitch?

Or why are you so happy about that? I just what to see a good games and support my team on our beautiful Stadium with 70.000 other supporters. Wish you a good day, and to be more polite. And, by the way, Kyiv is in 600km from Donetsk (where the conflict is).

Best Wishes from Kyiv. Hope weÂ’ll beat you on the field.

P.S. Sorry for my "Bad" English, I studied German as foreign language at school.

Helen Mallon
58 Posted 27/02/2015 at 14:12:19
Well, Andrew, if it takes that to keep players and fans safe, then yes.

Put it this way: if that were Everton fans last night, they would have fought back, got battered by the police, and the racist fans and Everton would get blamed by Uefa anyway and probably kicked out. All because they hate English teams.

Victor Jones
59 Posted 27/02/2015 at 14:02:55
Not a bad draw. Here's hoping that we thump them at Goodson. Maybe 4-0. Why not. And then send a few reserves and fringe players to defend that lead away from home. We need to go for it in the home tie. Be positive. That's the way I want this tie to unfold.

Martinez needs to keep an eye on the two league games. We cannot afford to squander points against Newcastle and QPR. To me those games are just as important. I don't mean to sound stupid here, but I hope that Martinez is not on some personal crusade to add the Europa League trophy to his CV.

The bigger picture here is that Everton Football Club are a Premier League team next season. When that is secure, then I will start to take this Europa League for real.

Why could we not get a team like Ajax? I hate these bloody Russian/ Ukrainian teams. Remember the 5-1 mauling we got a few years ago.

A lot of games will be coming thick and fast in the next few weeks. A real test of character for Martinez and his players. Here's hoping that they are up to the challenge. COYBs.

Roberto Birquet
60 Posted 27/02/2015 at 14:28:03
Unless we get Dublin or Swansea, we always travel east. Kinda meaningless to mention it. What armoured vehicle's gonna send the team there?

Fingers crossed it all goes well. I want a mega team soon. An Inter or Roma, would do. Would that count as going east?

Andrew Ellams
61 Posted 27/02/2015 at 14:34:11
Don't think you'd get much support, Helen.
Liam Reilly
62 Posted 27/02/2015 at 14:36:33
Derek #38
"The establishment favourites ( Wolfsburg ffs ??? ) get a a free ride". I'm baffled how you could possibly consider Inter a free ride?

I'd much rather Kiev over Inter although we could have done with the away leg first. a decent lead is a must at Goodison to take to their place.

Vineet Sood
63 Posted 27/02/2015 at 14:51:35
Does anyone know what happens if we finish runners up in the Europa to a team that qualifies for the CL via its own league?
Jay Wood
65 Posted 27/02/2015 at 14:45:01
It’s a tricky one Helen, I grant you, but as Andrew says such an ultimatum from Everton would result in one outcome: us forfeiting the tie and being eliminated.

Looking at Kevin Tully’s link to the clashes, it’s not as bad as portrayed and reading some of the comments, the fans not involved are apparently shouting ’Shame!’ at the disruptive element.

UEFA shouldn’t be happy with the invasion and disruption to the match, even if as some reports state the visiting French fans were provocative with banners claiming ’Crimea is Russian.’

All very bizarre, with the Kiev players in close quarters to the invading fans, doing more to persuade them to return to the stands than the stewards.

It’s going to be interesting to see how this one plays out, possibly to Everton’s benefit ... or ... not, as the case may be!

Ross Edwards
66 Posted 27/02/2015 at 15:05:04
Helen if we threatened to withdraw from the competition just because we didn't like the prospect of going to Ukraine we'd be seen as an absolute laughing stock throughout Europe.
Brian Harrison
67 Posted 27/02/2015 at 14:54:02
Well I hope the arrangements for the Kiev fans coming to Goodison is treated differently that the Young Boys fans.

I don't know if many of our fans will be aware of where some away fans were seated at last nights game. I sit in the Upper Bullens towards the Park End, and there is a wooden barrier that usually separates the home fans from the away fans. But last night the part of the Upper Bullens were the away fans sit was left empty and the Young Boys fans were sat in the Everton section, with only a couple of police and stewards to keep the peace.

Thankfully the atmosphere between both sets of fans was very friendly. I did ask a steward as to why they weren't in the normal away section and he said that Uefa insist that fans must be able to see both goals clearly... well, that didn't apply to Wolfsburg or Lille fans who were housed in the away section.

Nick Page
68 Posted 27/02/2015 at 15:06:03
The French are fucking pricks. Remember Lille??
Victor Jones
69 Posted 27/02/2015 at 14:51:58
I'm not sure here, but did Bayern Munich not play there Champions League game against S. Donetsk at a neutral ground. Surely if there is any teal threat to the players and staff of Everton FC, then this tie has to be also played at a neutral ground. How about Tranmere's ground.

On a serious note, Ukraine is a war torn country. Surely the safety of everyone connected with Everton is paramount. And surely the powers that be will see that. Its a game that we could have done without. On so many levels. And what's the odds that we draw another Eastern block team, should we go through here.

Never bloody straightforward with Everton. Is it???

Graham Mockford
70 Posted 27/02/2015 at 15:04:41
Derek #44

Bookies don't do tend to lay odds on anything other than hard cold logic. They wouldn't last long otherwise.

Of course they don't always get it right but its not really a surprise they are favourites even given the fact we beat them twice. Don't forget in our last Europa campaign we beat the eventual winners in the group stages.

Andrew Ellams
71 Posted 27/02/2015 at 15:13:32
Victor, Donetsk is smack bang in the middle of the trouble zone to the point that Shaktar's stadium has been put out of use because of damage from shelling.
Ray Roche
72 Posted 27/02/2015 at 15:13:34
Kiev are top of the Russian Ukrainain League by 4 clear points, they'll be no mugs by any means.
Jamie Crowley
73 Posted 27/02/2015 at 15:12:01
Just had a look at the link from Kevin Tully of the skirmish.

Anyone who claims if that'd happened in England there'd be repercussions is 100% accurate. It's unacceptable. Thugs jumping out of the stands to cause chaos isn't acceptable and UEFA would quickly sanction any English Club who's supporters did what happened there.

The game should be played minimally at a neutral site, preferably behind closed doors.

UEFA will do nothing and it's a joke frankly.

I wouldn't blame one single Everton supporter for not going. It's a dangerous trip - it's that simple.

This is a game. One people are passionate about but in the end it's just a game. No one watching a game should be hurt or attend fearful for their safety.

Great draw on footballing terms I think.

Jamie Crowley
74 Posted 27/02/2015 at 15:19:51
I think our players, if attacked or if feeling in danger, need to take a page out of the Boston Bruins handbook...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpbD6W7YT5A

Tim Greeley
75 Posted 27/02/2015 at 14:58:59
Now what was UEFAÂ’s plan if Kiev drew Dinamo Moscow!?!?

These two countries are at war, unofficially or not. Insane. It would be harsh on the club and team I know, but shouldnÂ’t there be a "if your entire country is currently a No Fly Zone, then sorry, take this year off the Europa League" rule !?

Phil Walling
76 Posted 27/02/2015 at 16:26:45
Nick.....and Agincourt !
Steven Telford
77 Posted 27/02/2015 at 16:05:33
Well, given that Ukraine is beholden to the west in regards keeping Russian at bay (albeit seeming in vain), you would expect that the politicians would ave an added incentive to ensure the safety of British nationals - we are after the only country to so far announce the sending in of military assistance to them.

I'm not for a moment condoning how the likes of some right-wing eastern European supporters behave, but in a way the hostility to away teams does have a bit of old-school value in regards generating a "Colosseum like" atmosphere. It's not cricket, it's football!!! and for that matter, I wish they would bring terraces back.

Jay Woods
78 Posted 27/02/2015 at 16:40:38
@ Ray Roche: They play in the Ukrainian league, not the Russian (sorry if that appears pedantic).

This is an eminently winnable contest, even with our dismal shortcomings domestically.

Kiev should be safe enough; it's far from the conflict zone and it's in the ostensibly pro-Western part of the country, so we should theoretically be made to feel welcome there, even more so now that our government is goading Russia, oops, I mean sending "advisers" there to help out.

Re Bayern playing Donetsk, that was at a venue in the far west of the country, closer to Munich (seriously) than to Donestk, which is in the war zone in the far south east of the Ukraine. I wouldn't compare the two ties at all.

Paul Burns
79 Posted 27/02/2015 at 16:51:58
IÂ’m more scared of our players having no backbone and failing to perform on the pitch. What is going on off the pitch is nothing to do with them and they shouldnÂ’t be looking for excuses.

Then again, if things are that bad that we canÂ’t play to our full potential, I would expect the club to take legal action against Uefa.

About time the club stood up for itself for once.

Harold Matthews
80 Posted 27/02/2015 at 17:16:44
Can't say I'm thrilled to bits with this one.
Harry Wallace
81 Posted 27/02/2015 at 17:29:20
Lots of inaccurate comments like "On a serious note, Ukraine is a war torn country" ThatÂ’s not true victor, only a small fraction of the country is full of Russian tanks and troops. Certainly not Kiev.

Donetsk play in west Ukraine so even their games are safe.

Tony Draper
82 Posted 27/02/2015 at 17:28:57
I have a gut feeling that both Uefa and The Foreign & Commonwealth Office may have some influence over the first leg.

My guess is that it could be a closed doors affair at Dinamo's ground.

Shame we didn't get the home leg second though.

Ray Roche
83 Posted 27/02/2015 at 17:29:19
@Jay Woods, no need to apologise for being a pedant, I can't believe I put "Russian" instead of "Ukraine" in my post, especially after I'd gone to the trouble of checking. See what happens when my carer leaves me alone with a computer?

Nurse! NURSE!! He's doing it again.....

Victor Jones
84 Posted 27/02/2015 at 17:22:01
Re. Andrew. 71. As I said, I was not sure of all the facts. But the plane that was shot down a few months ago (with a couple of British football supporters on board). Was it causing any harm. Of course not. It was only flying over that god forsaken country. I really don't know the ins and outs of this conflict. I honestly haven't been following the news bulletins that closely. But I know one thing. Everton football club and Everton supporters need to be assured of their safety. Plain and simple.

The ground might be safe and sound. The county is clearly not.

Colin Glassar
85 Posted 27/02/2015 at 18:01:54
East European teams are notoriously bad travellers so if we can take a comfortable lead (2-0?) to Kiev then we just might be ok. Hopefully, it will be in front of an "empty" stadium and that will further dampen their spirits. But, winning at home is of the essence.
Knowing a bit of the area I wouldn't recommend it to travelling fans. The ultras will be looking for a fight, in and outside of the stadium, as they look upon the English hooligans in awe and will be dying to test themselves.
Chris Davies
86 Posted 27/02/2015 at 18:39:20
Everyone needs to calm down a little.
Kiev is not a war zone, the South East is.
Ukraine is a very big country, and Kiev and Donetsk are worlds apart.

Before I headed to the Euro's over there, I was warned by Sol Cambell, the BBC, ITV and every man and his dog to be afraid. The truth being that you would see more trouble on a kids playground than we saw there.

I'm not saying don't travel carefully, but I would advise caution anywhere. Sure, they have Ulta's who are scum, but that's true of many clubs and countries.

Bad draw for players and fans,... It's about the best we could have hoped for.

Andy Crooks
87 Posted 27/02/2015 at 19:17:14
Harold, I agree, I would rather have had any other team in the draw.
Lyndon Lloyd
88 Posted 27/02/2015 at 19:37:43
Well worth reading the comment from Edward (57) which has only just gone up because he is a newly signed-up member.

He makes some very good points about how we wouldn't want to be characterised by the actions of either a minority or another club while also pointing out, as others have done, that the fighting is many hundreds of miles from Kyiv. It is not tantamount to sending our fans to a "war-torn" area at all.

Ged Simpson
89 Posted 27/02/2015 at 19:51:14
That email 57 should embarrass some who have posted on here.
Paul Hewitt
90 Posted 27/02/2015 at 19:53:30
No way will the second leg be played in Ukraine. Probably be at a neutral ground.
Sondre Haga
91 Posted 27/02/2015 at 19:51:23
I was hoping for Inter but Dynamo Kiev is definitely not the worst we could draw. We have a decent chance here. Please bring this positive energy over to the remaining league games.
Craig Mills
92 Posted 27/02/2015 at 19:53:12
Edward. @57, thank you, a little reality check for some.
Michael Winstanley
93 Posted 27/02/2015 at 23:05:33
Thanks for posting Edward. Start supporting Everton and comment on here more often.
Jay Wood
94 Posted 27/02/2015 at 23:44:32
Good lad Edward. As you had last night, we also have a few reactionaries capable of besmirching the club’s name. Thanks for taking the time to write.
Kevin Tully
95 Posted 27/02/2015 at 23:47:51
Edward # 57 - quite right my friend. After reading the reports in the UK press, I was expecting a major disturbance. Instead, I saw a scuffle between a few drunken fans, who would be more at home at an under 12's disco. (They would stand no chance in Liverpool)

Please carry on posting. Great to hear from you.

Kevin Tully
96 Posted 27/02/2015 at 23:57:41
Edward - that was a joke by the way, not a challenge!
Eugene Ruane
97 Posted 28/02/2015 at 00:53:05
Well said Edward (57) - Good luck and apologies for some of our more insular, reactionary and quick to jump to judgement (without the facts) posters.
Anto Meehan
98 Posted 28/02/2015 at 09:03:19
Well said Edward (57) if you read some of the reports from lille you'd probably think the same of Everton fans. Don't believe everything you read!
Adam Luszniak
99 Posted 28/02/2015 at 09:46:58
Having been to Ukraine, I can tell you it's not a shit hole. Edward Petrychevsky's comments are some of the most sensible on this thread. Thank you Edward.
John Malone
100 Posted 28/02/2015 at 13:09:38
Apologies Edward #57 if any comments were offensive they were probably a bit knee jerk in response to the documentary I watched before the World Cup and by the scenes pictured after the Guincamp game.

The impression a lot of people over here have, which I agree is generalistic and small-minded, is that Eastern Europe is cold, hard poverty stricken with a lot racist nazi factions. Of course there is an awful lot more to the eastern bloc but when it comes to football this is the impression some will have because of the images we see and the articles we read about from time to time.

Charles Brewer
101 Posted 28/02/2015 at 17:46:45
On a slightly different note, has anyone else noticed that the media coverage was all RS, with a bit of Spurs, and some follow through about Man City and Arsenal and how "all the English clubs (except Chelsea)" had done very badly.

There's also lots of how worthless the Europa League is. Presumably if Everton were to win it, this would be confirmation that it is easy to win. Still, it is rather amusing how despite its being a really easy competition to win, Liverpool went through it and out faster than a dodgy curry!

Tony Abrahams
102 Posted 28/02/2015 at 18:50:47
Who knows what Uefa will do, probably make them play behind closed doors.

Didn't look that bad, on the link, and makes the battle of the valley, look like Zulu!

Hope that fans are allowed to go, and can assure Edward 57, that there wouldn't be a Russian flag in the Everton end.

Chris Davies has got it right for me; let's just enjoy the football!!

Rob Halligan
103 Posted 28/02/2015 at 19:57:09
Just been watching the you tube video of the "so called" trouble at the dynamo Kiev v Guingamp match. Got a bit bored waiting for the trouble to start? Call that trouble? I bet there has been more fighting in a kinder garten!!
Paul Gladwell
104 Posted 28/02/2015 at 21:07:59
Stayed a night in Kiev before Kharkiv and it was superb, great place and great people – aside from the police who threatened two of my mates with jail or cash because they were singing Everton songs on the way back to our hotel.
Rob Halligan
105 Posted 28/02/2015 at 21:22:49
Likewise, Paul #104. Me and a mate stayed in Kiev on the Wednesday night before flying up to kharkiv on the Thursday morning. Had a great night on the Wednesday night. There were a few blues in Kiev who were travelling by the overnight train to kharkiv. There was no trouble with the locals anywhere. If anything there may have been trouble with Aberdeen fans, but certainly not any Ukrainians.

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