When they take on FC Rostov at Olimp-2 on Tuesday evening, Atletico Madrid will become the first Spanish team to ever set foot in the town.
Los Rojiblancos are forced to travel over 3,500 kilometres by air to the historic city - one of Russia's oldest - which, according to a 2010 census, has a population of just 32,000 inhabitants.
Although teams have grown accustomed to travelling long distances in their Champions League fixtures, Atleti have more air miles under their belts than most having had to endure an eight-hour flight en route to Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, which lies roughly 6,900 kilometres away from Madrid.
Rostov came into the limelight in 2014 during the armed conflict between Russian rebels and Ukrainian armed forces, with many Russians returning, and seeking refuge back in the city after the annexation of Crimea.
Speaking to MARCA at the time, a Shakhtar Donetsk supporter summarised the situation most aptly.
"I pray every day that we can go home because health and peace are the two most important things that exist."
Despite the conflict, however, UEFA have placed no such sanctions on Russia and allowed the Champions League to take place there for the time being.
The conditions and cold temperatures in Rostov won't be used as an excuse by Diego Simeone ahead of the match.
"When I was a young child, we played in the square in the mud, on cobblestones, on synthetic grass, in tall grass ... you just have to play is football even in circumstances such as wind, sun, cold, snow," he said.
And while Atletico are expected to extend their lead at the top of Group D, the trying conditions could be a test upon their return to domestic league action on Sunday when they take on Sevilla.
olimp-2, formerly Rostselmash, opened in 1930 and has a capacity of just 15,840 spectators following a reconstruction of the venue in 2009, meaningAtletico Madrid will play in the second smallest stadium of the 32 hosting the group stages of the Champions League when they take on FC Rostov on Tuesday.
Ludogorets Arena in Bulgaria is even smaller, with a current capacity of 8,808 spectators and plans of expanding to 12,500.
With five percent of seating allocated to visiting fans during Champions League clashes, there are a total of 750 seats available to Atleti supporters, however it is likely that the only representatives from the club will be Diego Simeone and his troops.
Since its construction in the Soviet era, the stadium has undergone several touch-ups including the installation of artificial lights in 2001 and, most recently, the addition of a digital scoreboard.
Furthermore, it has also played host to the final of the Russian Cup between Zenit St. Petersburg and Sibir Novosibirsk.
However, it seems Olimp-2 will soon become a relic of the past with a much larger stadium being built on the left bank of the River Don in preparation for the World Cup.
That will have a capacity of 45,145 and will become FC Rostov's new home in the aftermath of the 2018 tournament.
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