Rubin Kazan v Olympiacos

Greeks keen to move on Olympiacos will look to put their agonising Champions League exit behind them when they begin their Europa League campaign at Rubin Kazan.

The Greek champions looked certain to secure a place in the knockout phase of Europe's premier club competition moments before the end of the final Group F fixtures just over two months ago.

But Marseille then scored twice in the final five minutes of their match at Borussia Dortmund to snatch second place and leave previously-jubilant Olympiacos fans stunned.

Ernesto Valverde's men have seemingly refused to wallow in the misery of such a cruel denouement, winning 11 and losing just one of their subsequent 13 matches to lie just two points behind Panathinaikos at the top of the Greek Super League.

But memories of their Champions League failure will doubtless return to the forefront of their minds when they take to the field in Russia tomorrow.

In fact, the field they take to will be an artificial one, with the first leg of the last-32 tie having been moved from Kazan to Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium.

The match will also kick off at 3pm local time due to the freezing conditions that are expected in the Russian capital.

Rubin coach Kurban Berdyev does not necessarily expect the conditions to work in his side's favour, though.

Indeed, he revealed the club had tried to gain permission to play the match in Turkey, but were denied by UEFA.

"I would not say that these conditions are to the advantage of either side," he was quoted as saying on www.

sport-express.

ru.

"If you remember, last year we played Twente when it was at the same temperature and lost.

"[But] this is a different team with a different style of play.

" Rubin have not played a competitive match since the dramatic conclusion to their own qualification for the knockout stage.

Kurban Berdyev's side were certain of their place going into the final round of matches, barring a pair of freak results.

But events almost conspired against them as Tottenham narrowly failed to pull off the impossible and snatch second place in Group A.

Since then, Rubin have been restricted to friendly matches, something which has arguably cost them in the Europa League in the last two seasons and which Berdyev sees as an advantage for the Greeks.

"Very much so," he said.

"You can see they're getting better from game to game.

"