After previously reaching the semi-final of the UEFA Cup in 2009, Dynamo Kiev embarked on another European adventure in 2010-11 knowing that if they performed to a similar level, they would have every chance of enjoying a similar run in that season’s Europa League campaign.

Having overcome Bate Borisov, Sheriff Tiraspol and AZ Alkmaar in the Group Stage, the next round saw them paired with Turkish giants Besiktas, with the first leg being played in Istanbul on 17th February. The all-important fixture would fall just over two months after the team’s last competitive match.

Having worked with Dynamo Kiev on previous winter and summer training camps, ESEM was tasked with putting together a suitable proposal that would see the team given the best chance possible to prepare properly for what was going to be a pivotal game in the club’s season.

The Challenge

The Besiktas tie was to be played over two legs, with the first of those being in Istanbul. It was vitally important that the team was well prepared and that they achieved a favourable result in that first game so that the second leg could give them a good chance of progressing through to the next round of the competition.

With such a long time having elapsed since the previous competitive fixture, the winter training camp had to give the players the opportunity to get some high quality warm weather training under their belts and to play a number of games against good quality opposition so as to ensure that a degree of sharpness was maintained throughout the break.

During the break, ESEM was faced with the added complication of their being an International Break which meant that a number of senior players would have to leave the training camp to join up with their respective national teams before returning to complete the training camp and re-focus on the Besiktas tie.

The solution

Marbella Training Camp

Having worked with the club on a number of similar projects, ESEM’s Christian Machowski was aware of the preferred quality of training facility and hotel. The exceptional facilities at the Marbella Football Centre were soon secured by ESEM, as was the outstanding Hotel Guadalpin Marbella; a five star hotel which is situated around 15 minutes away from the training facility. In addition to the usual high standards of food and comfort on offer to the party, the hotel was selected due to its close proximity to the training complex and also as a result of its superb spa and supplementary leisure facilities.

In addition to training, the two-week training camp also provided the opportunity for several friendly games to be played. With various other teams from Eastern European countries also in the area during their mid-season breaks, games against FC Zestafoni of Georgia and Russian side Kuban Krasnodar were played as part of the Marbella Cup; a friendly tournament arranged between sides who were also based at the Marbella Football Centre during their stay in the area. The eight-team competition, which also featured Sparta Prague,

Lokomotiv Plovdiv, FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk and Zenit St Petersburg, gave the players the perfect platform to get some all- important game time under their belts and helped to sharpen them for the coming challenge in Istanbul.

International Break

Half-way through the fortnight-long training camp, an international break meant that many Ukrainian stars as well as players from other European and overseas international squads had to leave the rest of the party and team up with their national teammates ahead of a mini international tournament in Cyprus. To help that process run smoothly, ESEM chartered a flight from Malaga to Murcia where additional Ukrainian national team players joined the party from their training camps, before travelling on to Larnaca Airport ahead of the games. Following the two matches, the players all returned to Spain to finish their training camps with their respective domestic teams.

Besiktas Match Preparation

After two weeks of exceptional preparation, the Dynamo Kiev party left Marbella on 15th February, heading for Istanbul on a chartered flight. On arrival in Turkey, the entire squad together with backroom staff,

club dignitaries, sponsors and journalists all checked in to the Ritz Carlton Hotel; a five star hotel which overlooks the İnönü Stadium in which the team would be playing some 48 hours later.

Ahead of the game, the players were able to rest, train at the stadium and relax into the right frame of mind and as kick off approached, it was clear that they were ready for the challenge ahead.

The game, which had looked to be a particularly difficult fixture, was played out in a traditionally intimidating arena with the Kiev team producing as good an away performance as you are ever likely to see in European football. A 4-1 victory virtually made the home leg a formality and a subsequent 4-0 win wrapped up an 8-1 aggregate victory against what had looked to be very capable opponents.

The win set Dynamo up to play Manchester City in the next round; a tie which was won 3-2 on aggregate before the side finally bowed out of the competition against Portugal’s Sporting Braga; again at the semi-final stage.

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