---
title: "Polesye vs Copenhagen: Zhytomyr's 'Wolves' Step into the Ring with the Danish Giant"
description: "Zhytomyr's Polesye begins its European campaign with a match against Danish Copenhagen. Experts warn about the difficulty of the opponent and the lack of experience of the Ukrainian team. 🏆⚽"
date: 2026-07-23T10:28:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/polesye-vs-copenhagen-zhytomyrs-wolves-step-into-the-ring-with-the-danish-giant
tags: [polesye, fc-copenhagen, uefa-conference-league, russlan-rotan, viktor-grachev]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Polesye vs Copenhagen: Zhytomyr's 'Wolves' Step into the Ring with the Danish Giant

![FC Polissya players celebrate a goal against Copenhagen, hugging on the field in the rain](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/23/polesye-protiv-kopengagena-zhitomirskie-volki-vykhodyat-na-ring/polesye-protiv-kopengagena-zhitomirskie-volki-vykhodyat-na-ring-1.webp)

On July 23 and 29, a major confrontation will take place on the international stage. FC Polesye, the bronze medalist of last season's Ukrainian Premier League, begins its new European campaign. The opponent for the Zhytomyr club will be one of the most decorated and well-known clubs in Denmark — Copenhagen.

### Polesye's History in European Competitions

For the team from Zhytomyr, this is already the third attempt to reach the European spring. In 2024, after finishing fifth in the UPL, Polesye tried its hand in the qualifiers for the first time but lost to Slovenian Olimpija (0:2 and 1:2).

The following season was more successful. Under the leadership of Ruslan Rotan, the team managed to overcome several rounds of the Conference League qualifiers. First, the Zhytomyrians sensationally lost to Andorran Santa Coloma (1:2), but took a convincing revenge in the return match (4:1). Then Hungarian Paksh was defeated (3:0 and 1:2). However, in the final qualifying round, the opponent was the previous year's Conference League finalist — Fiorentina. The Italians crushed the Ukrainians in the first match (3:0), and in the second, Polesye could not hold its advantage and lost 2:3.

### The Situation at Copenhagen

The Danish club also went through a difficult path to reach the qualifiers. After the appointment of coach Svensson at the end of March, the team managed to save the season, finishing seventh in the Superliga and winning the playoffs for the right to participate in the Conference League. In the Danish Cup, Copenhagen reached the final but lost to Midtjylland (0:1).

Last season, the Danes competed in the Champions League. They played 8 matches in the group stage, securing two victories (against Kairat and Villarreal with a score of 3:2) and drawing twice. With 8 points, the club finished 31st and did not advance to the playoffs.

### Expert Opinion

Legendary former Shakhtar player and Honored Coach of Ukraine Viktor Grachev believes that Polesye is facing a very tough test.

"Copenhagen is one of the leading clubs in Denmark, and this country has been developing its football very qualitatively in recent years. Despite the fact that the Danes' performance last season was not ideal, the club has earned a good reputation in Europe. It will be difficult for Polesye, as the team does not yet have much experience of constant participation in European competitions," noted the expert.

Grachev also pointed out the problem of replacing the departed leader Alexey Gutsulyak. "Gutsulyak was the leading player in attack and a team player. This is a significant loss. But the absence of one or two players should not have a critical impact on the game. The management and coaching staff know how to cope with this challenge," he concluded.

### Bets and Predictions

In the upcoming match, bookmakers consider Copenhagen the favorite. The coefficient for a Polesye victory is 3.97, and for a draw — 3.73. The club's official sponsor GGBET supports the 'Wolves' in this historic campaign, offering fans to watch the matches live and make predictions.