Massey can’t wait for reunion with Rodionov
DUNDALK defender Dane Massey is confident the Lilywhites will keep their heads when to go into battle with BATE Borisov tonight (Tuesday).
When Stephen Kenny’s side take to the field in Barysaw, it will mean they have played more matches at the Borisov Arena than in Sligo in each of the last two seasons.
For Massey (pictured right) it is a return to the scene of an incident which overshadowed BATE’s victory over Dundalk last season.
Just after the Belarusians had scored in the first leg, their captain Vitali Rodionov head-butted the left back. However, despite video evidence being sent to UEFA and an apology from the player that admitted his guilt, the striker was allowed to play in the return leg at Oriel Park where Dundalk failed to find the goal they needed to advance to the next stage.
Twelve months on the pair will meet again and Massey admitted to The Argus in the wake of last week’s win in Iceland that he owes the forward one.
“Rodionov, round two,” he laughed.
“I’m not too sure he’ll stay so close to me this year. I definitely owe him one.
“I can’t let that affect me, he head-butted me, he apologised, he got away with it.
“Now we’ve another shot at it so hopefully we’re the ones delivering the blows but in the right manner this time.”
Massey, who played a key role during the build-up to Dundalk’s second goal in Iceland last Wednesday with his ball to Daryl Horgan, said everyone at Oriel Park always craved another shot at BATE after losing 2-1 on aggregate last year and he is eager to make the most of it. “We have it now,” he said. “It’s a great opportunity for ourselves. We had a bit of a stale game last year where they came and we drew 0-0 at home but we played well out there.
“We’re going to keep our heads now. We know a lot about them and have a lot of information on their players. I’m sure they’ll be familiar with us so it should make for a great game.”
Massey said he was “absolutely ecstatic” after the victory over FH Hafnarfjordur but insists it is only the start of Dundalk’s European adventure.
Asked was it a reasonable prospectpect that the team could make the Europa League group stages, the 28-year-old said: “Why not? Why not the Champions League though?
“We set our sights high and we’ll keep driving towards what we can achieve and I think that if we keep playing the way we’re playing we’ll do well. Everyone is coming into peak form and everyone is flying fit. It’s a great squad, not just the starting 11 but the whole team.
“It doesn’t end here. It can’t. We’re hungry to go on. We’ve BATE now and we’ve always wanted to play them again so what an opportunity.
‘‘We’re guaranteed another four games, so let’s go and give it a real go,” said Massey.