BARCELONA VS DYNAMO KYIV: KOEMAN AIMS TO LAND FIRST POINT AND GOAL OF GROUP STAGE

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Barcelona are goalless and yet to secure a point as they sit bottom of the UEFA Champions League Group E.

Barcelona head into the tie with a minus-six goal difference after two consecutive 3-0 defeats, meaning the threat of a group stage exit lingers.

Their opponents have managed to obtain a point following a draw at home to Portuguese outfit, Benfica.

Koeman hopes he can kickstart the campaign this evening at the Camp Nou, although it will be tough with some major names out via injury.

Blaugrana are without Pedri, Ousmane Dembele, Martin Braithwaite and Ronald Araujo. Meanwhile, Eric Garcia is suspended because of a red card.

Positively, Dynamo Kyiv are still suffering a host of injured attackers as Artem Besedin, Ibrahim Kargbo and Vladyslav Kulach are all unable to play. Also, 22-year-old defender Denys Popov is recovering from cruciate ligament surgery.

Koeman’s men currently sit seventh in La Liga Santander and are fresh off a 3-1 victory against Valencia CF. Kyiv are unbeaten in the Ukrainian Premier League and sit in first. However, there last Champions League fixture ended in a 5-0 drubbing to Bayern Munich.

When comparing, the two sides were in the same group last campaign – which saw Barca complete the double over Kyiv – 4-0 and 2-1.

Both sides are amongst the only four teams yet to score in the competition so far, the other teams being Shaktar Donetsk and Malmo.

Koeman, who made over 190 appearances for Blaugrana, will look to take advantage of his opponents outs and doubts up top and record Barcelona’s first points in Europe this season.