Dynamo's Popov to miss final group games

Defender Goran Popov will miss the remainder of FC Dynamo Kyiv's UEFA Europa League group matches after being advised to undergo surgery to remedy an ongoing knee complaint.

The Macedonian international, who has made 12 league and three UEFA Europa League Group E appearances this season, has been troubled by the injury since the end of October and will travel to Italy for an operation next weekend.

"It's nothing serious, just a damaged meniscus," said the 27-year-old former sc Heerenveen defender. "I had a similar operation two and a half years ago. I will start walking three days after the operation and begin training 15 to 20 days later. It's better to have the operation as soon as possible. That way I'll have time to recover during our one-month vacation and I'll join the team on the first winter camp in January. I can easily prepare for the second half of the season."

Popov will, however, miss his side's visit to Stoke City FC on 1 December and the home encounter against Maccabi Tel-Aviv FC a fortnight later, in addition to the end of the first half of the domestic season. The Ukrainian Premier League leaders sit third in Group E with five points from four games.