Dynamo Kyiv vs PAOK tickets for the Europa League football qualifier at Motor Lublin Arena in Lublin, Poland

Dynamo Kyiv - PAOK: a European evening in Lublin

Dynamo Kyiv and PAOK open their head-to-head tie in the first leg of the second qualifying round of the Europa League. The match is scheduled for July 23 at 19:00 local time in Poland, or 20:00 Kyiv time. According to the confirmed schedule, the match will not be played at the Olympic Stadium in Kyiv, but at the Motor Lublin Arena in Lublin, the Ukrainian club's temporary European home.

This is an important correction for everyone planning to travel. Lublin is located in eastern Poland, and the stadium is close to the main railway station and the historic city centre. The return leg is seven days later in Thessaloniki, so the result in Lublin will immediately set the tone for the second match. Tickets for this encounter are in demand among supporters because it is a rare European tie between clubs with large fan bases, but also because it is an evening in which there is no room to correct mistakes within just one match.

What is at stake for both teams

The winner of the tie continues on the path towards the league phase of the competition, while the loser ends its campaign in this qualifying route. For Dynamo, this is already the second European obstacle of the summer. Ihor Kostiuk's team overcame Universitatea Cluj after two goalless matches and a penalty shootout in Romania. Dynamo won the shootout 4:2 there, with goalkeeper Ruslan Neshcheret playing an important role.

Dynamo showed discipline and completed the tie without conceding a goal. At the same time, 180 minutes without a goal from open play shows where the greatest room for improvement lies. Against PAOK, it must create more high-quality situations inside the penalty area and take advantage of the moments when the visitors' defence opens up.

PAOK will play its first competitive match of the season in Lublin and its first European encounter under Alessio Lisci. The Greek club enters this round directly after an offensively strong pre-season. Friendly matches, however, do not bring the same pressure as a qualifying tie, and the new coach's first genuine test comes against an opponent that has already experienced the competitive rhythm.

Form ahead of the encounter

It is most useful to separate Dynamo's competitive matches from PAOK's pre-season appearances. The results show different starting points:

• Dynamo Kyiv - Universitatea Cluj 0:0, first leg of the first qualifying round in Lublin.
• Universitatea Cluj - Dynamo Kyiv 0:0, Dynamo advanced after a 4:2 victory on penalties.
• PAOK - Beveren 4:1, a convincing start to the pre-season series.
• PAOK - Westerlo 4:0, a match in which the attack was effective once again.
• PAOK - AEK Larnaca 3:2, a third consecutive pre-season victory.
• PAOK - Twente 2:3, the first defeat after three victories.

PAOK scored 13 goals and conceded six in those four pre-season matches. The attack quickly accepted the new coach's demands, while the defence is still searching for stability. Dynamo kept a clean sheet in two competitive matches but did not find a way to the opposition's goal. The home side therefore has a firmer competitive foundation, while the visitors have more attacking momentum from pre-season.

Dynamo: patience, experience and the need for a greater threat

Ihor Kostiuk took over the senior team after working within the club system and knows the players who progressed through the youth categories well. His Dynamo wants to build attacks through technically strong midfielders, with Mykola Shaparenko and Oleksandr Pikhalonok the most important. Shaparenko can accelerate the game with vertical passing and switches of play, while Pikhalonok looks for space between the opposition's lines and shooting opportunities from deep.

Andriy Yarmolenko remains the most recognisable name in the squad. He can slow down an attack, draw in a marker and create space for a teammate. Against a more compact defence, his experience in decision-making may be more important than speed itself.

At the top of the attack, Matvii Ponomarenko, the leading scorer in the Ukrainian championship last season, attracts attention. He provides depth, attacks the space between the centre-backs and looks for early crosses. Dynamo will need more touches from him in dangerous areas than against Universitatea, when the team too often remained outside the penalty area without the final pass.

Neshcheret gained additional confidence after the shootout in Cluj. In front of him is a defence that completed its first European tie without conceding, but PAOK has more individual quality in the final third. Particular attention should be paid to the condition of Kostiantyn Vivcharenko. On July 20, the club announced that the left-back had suffered a knee injury, without providing a final assessment of his availability for the match. His possible absence would affect the width, the build-up from the first line and the defence against PAOK's attacks down the right side.

PAOK under Alessio Lisci

Alessio Lisci introduced a new coaching structure and began preparations at the end of June. The first matches showed a desire to gain ground more quickly after winning the ball. PAOK has enough technically strong players to attack through the middle, as well as wingers who can isolate a defender in a one-on-one situation.

Giannis Konstantelias is the player who can most easily change the rhythm of the encounter. He can receive the ball between the lines, turn towards goal and draw the defence out of position. Andrija Zivkovic and Kiril Despodov provide a threat from the flanks, while Taison brings experience and control in combinations in tight spaces. In midfield, Soualiho Meite and Baptiste Santamaria offer physical strength, coverage of space and security with the first pass.

The attacking options include Fedor Chalov and Alexander Jeremejeff, and Lisci can change the profile of the centre-forward depending on whether he wants more hold-up play with the player's back to goal or more movement behind the last line. Taha Ali adds depth on the wing, while Pantelis Chatzidiakos brings experience to the defensive line. Both players are among the squad's more recent additions.

Based on its pre-season appearances, PAOK could press Dynamo high from the start. The risk is the space behind the first line of pressure: Shaparenko and Pikhalonok can find the free player, while Yarmolenko can punish overly aggressive stepping out. It will be important to see how much the visitors can press without losing their balance.

Head-to-head history: two encounters half a century ago

Dynamo and PAOK are not complete strangers, but their previous encounters belong to a different football era. They met in the 1976/77 season in the European champions' competition. Dynamo won both matches and advanced 6:0 on aggregate.

• October 20, 1976: Dynamo Kyiv - PAOK 4:0.
• November 3, 1976: PAOK - Dynamo Kyiv 0:2.
• The aggregate score of the historic tie was 6:0 for Dynamo.

The results have no direct value for assessing today's squads, but they provide historical context. Almost 50 years have passed, and Dynamo now plays outside Kyiv and without the advantage of its own stadium.

Motor Lublin Arena and a neutral home ground

Motor Lublin Arena is located at Stadionowa 1 in Lublin. It opened in 2014 and has a capacity of 15,247 spectators. The stadium is compact, with the stands close enough to the pitch for noise to remain trapped inside the venue. It is a familiar environment for Dynamo because the club plays its European home matches there, but this is not a traditional home advantage. Travel, the distribution of supporters and the more neutral atmosphere alter the dynamics of the evening.

PAOK's supporters are known for their loud backing at away matches, while the presence of Ukrainian supporters from several countries can also be expected in Poland. The numerical balance in the stands is unknown, but a compact stadium can amplify the sound. Seats in the stands are disappearing quickly, so it is worth securing tickets in good time.

How to get there and what to plan before entering

The stadium's location makes it easy to arrive without a car. The main railway station is approximately a five-minute walk away, while the historic city centre is about 20 minutes away. This allows supporters to spend most of the day in the city and then walk towards the stadium.

• The stadium's address is Stadionowa 1, 20-405 Lublin.
• It takes approximately five minutes to walk from the main railway station to the entrance.
• The stadium can be reached on foot from the historic city centre in about 20 minutes.
• The stadium complex has 815 general parking spaces, but parking is charged on matchday and capacity is limited.
• The city's network includes buses and trolleybuses, and tickets are purchased through machines and mobile applications.
• The exact opening time of the entrances for this encounter had not been announced when checked; it is reasonable to arrive 60 to 90 minutes early and follow the information on the ticket.

For travellers arriving by train, the walking route is the simplest option. Drivers should expect congestion, access controls and a slower departure after the final whistle. Arriving earlier leaves enough time for the security check and for finding the correct section.

The atmosphere supporters can expect

This is not an ordinary match at a neutral stadium. Dynamo is the designated home team, but without Kyiv, while PAOK comes from a city in which European nights are an integral part of the club's identity. Such a combination often produces an unusual balance of sound: one stand attempts to create the feeling of home, while the away section wants to turn the encounter into a prelude to the return leg in Thessaloniki.

An early goal would completely change the atmosphere. If Dynamo takes the lead, the stands could provide additional energy to a team that waited a long time for a goal in the previous round. If PAOK scores first, the Greek supporters will gain room to apply continuous pressure, while the home side would have to abandon its more cautious plan. Ticket sales for this match are under way, and arriving before kick-off is important both because of security checks and because of the opportunity to experience the stands warming up before the first whistle.

Four details that could decide the first match

• Dynamo's finishing: after 180 European minutes without a goal, the quality of the first shot on target will be important for the confidence of the entire team.
• PAOK's pressure: Lisci must find a balance between aggressively winning the ball and protecting the space behind the midfield line.
• Wide areas: Vivcharenko's condition and Dynamo's choice on the left flank could direct a large portion of PAOK's attacks.
• Set pieces: in a tight qualifying encounter, one well-delivered corner or free kick can have greater value than a long period of possession.

Dynamo will probably try to keep the match under control, avoid unnecessary losses in midfield and wait for the right moment to accelerate down the flanks. PAOK has a wider selection of attacking profiles and can change the rhythm through substitutions, but it still has to show how the new structure will look under genuine pressure to achieve a result. The first 20 minutes will be particularly interesting: the home side wants to confirm its defensive stability, while the visitors want to determine whether they can transfer their pre-season efficiency to the competitive level.

For supporters, the most important thing to remember is that the match will be played in Lublin, not Kyiv, and that it begins locally at 19:00. The journey should be planned without relying on the last moment. The first match will not settle everything, but it can determine who will take an advantage to Thessaloniki and who will carry the obligation to attack.

Sources:
- FC Dynamo Kyiv - schedule, location and time of the match, progression against Universitatea, coach, squad and information about Kostiantyn Vivcharenko's injury.
- PAOK FC - current squad, the beginning of Alessio Lisci's work, pre-season matches and information about new players.
- Motor Lublin and the city's stadium operator - capacity, address, parking infrastructure and visitor information.
- City of Lublin and Stadium Guide - public transport, stadium location and walking distances.
- WorldFootball.net - historical head-to-head results from 1976.