Taison sure Metalist are going places

Assured of a UEFA Europa League round of 32 place and confirmed as Group G winners with a game to spare, FC Metalist Kharkiv can rest easy when they visit AZ Alkmaar on Thursday.

Also emerging as credible challengers to FC Dynamo Kyiv and FC Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine's Premier League, Metalist certainly look a team going places. According to striker Taison, the past exploits of Dynamo and Shakhtar in Europe have been a particular help in expanding the horizons of the eastern Ukrainian club.

"We learned a lot, because we had never competed at that level, both in Ukraine and in Europe," he told UEFA.com "The club is growing a lot – also thanks to the directors, the president, as well as the coach [Myron] Markevich – things are developing a lot.

"People here are starting to get expectations – they want to be champions with Metalist and become a big club here in Ukraine. There are good facilities to work with and a very good stadium, so we have to grow all the time."

For Taison's thoughts on Markevich and the Metalist Stadium, a UEFA EURO 2012 venue, watch UEFA.com's exclusive video.