What we know about Dynamo Kyiv & Partizan Belgrade

Rangers will meet either Dynamo Kyiv or Partizan Belgrade in the third round of qualifying for the Champions League.

Should the Ibrox side fail to progress, they will automatically progress straight into the Europa League.

However, Philippe Clement and his players will have their sights set on Uefa’s premier club competition.

Here’s a brief summary on what we know about the Govan club’s potential European opposition…

Dynamo Kyiv

Sixteen-times winners of the Ukrainian top flight, Dynamo narrowly missed out on a 17th title last term after losing the league by just two points to rivals Shakhtar Donetsk.

They failed to qualify for Europe in 2023-24, losing to Besitkas at the play-off round stage of the Conference League.

A squad littered with Ukraine internationals, the name of former West Ham and Borussia Dortmund forward Andriy Yarmolenko, 34, will stand out.

But it was Vladyslav Vanat, 12 years Yarmolenko’s younger, who was Dynamo’s star man last season, scoring 14 goals in 30 games.

A match-up between Dynamo and Rangers would present an unusual scenario where neither team would play their home game at their own ground.

Dynamo will play their home leg in Lublin, Poland as conflict in Ukraine following the Russian invasion continues, while Rangers will host at Hampden because of delayed stadium work at Ibrox.

Partizan Belgrade

Just like Dynamo, Partizan lost out on their domestic league title to their fiercest rivals last season.

They finished second behind Red Star, who claimed the Serbian top-flight crown by a seven-point margin.

Partizan also faltered at the qualifying stage of the Conference League when they lost to Danish side FC Nordsjælland in the play-off round.

The Serbian side’s attack is spearheaded by talented 24-year-old Brazilian Matheus Saldanha, who scored 18 goals last term and netted a late winner in their league opener against Napredak on Friday.