Dnipro out to end Inter's perfect record
Monday, September 1, 2014
Article summary
Unbeaten against Ukrainian opposition, Walter Mazzarri's FC Internazionale Milano take on FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in their opening UEFA Europa League Group F fixture in Kyiv.
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FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk will look to end FC Internazionale Milano's unbeaten record against Ukrainian sides in their opening UEFA Europa League Group F fixture.
Form guide
• Inter are unbeaten in six games against Ukrainian sides (W3 D3), with two of those victories coming away from home. Their two previous matches in the Ukrainian capital, where this fixture will be held, produced a win and a draw against FC Dynamo Kyiv.
• Dnipro have not lost in five European home games (W4 D1) since the last time they had Italian visitors, ACF Fiorentina winning 2-1 during the 2013/14 UEFA Europa League group stage.
• One side has scored three goals in Inter's last six European away games; that run includes four wins for the Nerazzurri (3-1, 3-1, 3-0, 3-0) and two defeats (3-0, 3-0).
Trivia and links
• This will be Inter's 350th game in UEFA club competition, the previous 349 producing the record: W174 D86 L 89. If they prevail, they will have won exactly half of their continental fixtures. As for Dnipro, they will be contesting their 101st, having reached 100 with their 0-0 play-off draw at HNK Hajduk Split.
• Dnipro's Nikola Kalinić and Ivan Strinić play alongside Inter's Mateo Kovačić with Croatia.
• Dnipro's Czech defender Ondřej Mazuch spent two seasons in Italy with ACF Fiorentina (2007-09) but made only two first-team appearances, in a Coppa Italia tie against Ascoli Calcio 1898. Inter's Pablo Osvaldo and Zdravko Kuzmanović were among his Fiorentina team-mates.
The coaches
• Dnipro coach since 2014, Myron Markevich started out as a midfielder with hometown club FC Karpaty Lviv, and while his playing career was not a huge success, he served Karpaty in four spells as a coach before a lengthy stint at FC Metalist Kharkiv earned him a reputation for attacking football. He briefly coached Ukraine in 2010.
• In charge at Inter since May 2013, Walter Mazzarri was a journeyman midfielder who worked his way up the divisions as a coach. After a notable spell at UC Sampdoria, he led SSC Napoli to Coppa Italia glory in 2011/12 and a runners-up finish in Serie A the following season before switching to Inter.
• Markevich and Mazzarri met when Metalist took on Sampdoria in the 2008/09 UEFA Cup round of 32; Markevich's side won 1-0 in Genoa and 2-0 at home to reach the last 16.
• Mazzarri also took on Dnipro with Napoli in 2012/13 UEFA Europa League group stage; his side lost 3-1 in Ukraine but won the return fixture 4-2 in Naples.
