Milevskiy says devil is in the detail for Dynamo

The most fouled player in this season's UEFA Europa League and FC Dynamo Kyiv's heartbeat for much of the campaign, Ukraine forward Artem Milevskiy is looking for more of the same against Manchester City FC.

Dynamo struck eight goals, and conceded only one, in their round of 32 victory against Beşiktaş JK, but must now pass Premier League hopefuls Manchester City if they are to reach the quarter-finals. Both sides topped their sections in the group stage, Dynamo doing so with the help of five Milevskiy goals.

Though he has not found the net since, the 26-year-old continues to play a pivotal role for his team. Indeed, his ability on the ball means he has been fouled 38 times in the competition, 15 more than any other player. "To win free-kicks is part of my job," he said. "A free-kick is a dangerous weapon. Set pieces decide many matches these days, especially when you have a free-kick specialist in your team."

One such expert, Olexandr Aliyev, came back to the Ukrainian capital in January after a year at FC Lokomotiv Moskva, but is ineligible for European action. At Dynamo, he is reunited with coach Yuri Semin, who himself returned to the club at the end of last year. "He is a great person and a strong coach who knows everything about discipline and creating a good atmosphere in the team," Milevskiy added.

One player who will be on hand to attempt to see off City is Andriy Shevchenko, who scored against the Manchester club during his time with Chelsea FC. The Ukraine talisman inherited the captaincy from Milevskiy upon his homecoming to Dynamo but has since passed on the armband to goalkeeper Olexandr Shovkovskiy.

For Milevskiy, such pedigree can only be beneficial to Dynamo. "Their experience and confidence can be a very important factor in a tie against opponents like Manchester City," he added. "Every little detail can have an influence at this level."