UEFA give Dnipro the green light to return home

KIEV: Europa League runners-up Dnipro will be allowed to play their European club matches back in their home town of Dnipropetrovsk after UEFA added it to their authorised list of venues.

However the club will have to play their games at another venue again if the military situation around the city worsens at any time in the future.

Gryhoriy Surkis, the president of the Ukraine FA and a vice-president of European soccer's governing body, said that UEFA would allow the venue to be used, as long as there was a Plan B in place.

Following the recent military upheavals in the eastern regions of Ukraine, UEFA only sanctioned the capital Kiev and Lviv in the west of the country as safe enough to stage matches with Dnipropetrovsk, around 240 miles (390kms) south-east of Kiev, banned from staging games.

Shakhtar were forced relocate from the strife-torn city of Donetsk to Lviv while Dnipro shared the Olympic stadium in the capital with Dynamo Kiev.

Surkis said on Saturday: "UEFA have reconsidered their decision in terms of Dnipropetovsk. UEFA took notice that there is an international airport there as well as the stadium and all things considered, Dnipropetrovsk is authorized to host European games but with one condition -- Dnipro must guarantee a Plan B.

"In case the situation in the country changes, they will be forced to play outside Dnipropetrovsk", Surkis was quoted as saying by footclub.com.ua.

Shakhtar are expected carry on playing both their European and domestic matches in Lviv with FC Vorskla and FC Zorya are still seeking alternative venues for their Europa League qualifying round games.