Preview: Barcelona vs. Shakhtar Donetsk - prediction, team news, lineups

After kicking off their European campaign with consecutive victories, the Catalan giants sit top of Group H, while Shakhtar are in third position with three points to their name.

Match preview

After winning their first league title in four years last season, Barcelona came into the current campaign looking to carry their impressive domestic form onto the European stage following a couple of disappointing years in the Champions League.

The Blaugrana have failed to progress from the group stage in their last two Champions League campaigns, but they are well set to end their wait for a knockout appearance after winning both of their opening two matches.

Xavi's charges flew out of the blocks with a dominant 5-0 win over Royal Antwerp on matchday one, before they produced a professional away performance to edge out Porto via a narrow 1-0 scoreline.

Those two results have helped Barcelona make an unbeaten start to the 2023-24 campaign, with their undefeated streak currently standing at 12 games after recording a narrow league victory over Athletic Bilbao in Sunday's home meeting, where debutant Marc Guiu scored the winning goal within 23 seconds of his arrival as a substitute.

The La Liga champions are currently residing in third position, with one point separating them from league leaders Real Madrid ahead of one of the biggest games in the European football calendar on Saturday.

However, before the Blaugrana can fully focus on their preparation for El Clasico, they must negotiate Wednesday's Champions League clash with Shakhtar, and they will be looking to maintain their 100% home record after winning all of their previous six competitive home matches this season, keeping clean sheets in five of those contests.

Competing in their seventh consecutive Champions League group stage, Shakhtar are having to contend with the challenge of playing their European home games at the neutral venue of the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg due to the ongoing war in their home country.

They struggled to adapt to their new surroundings on matchday one when Kevin Kelsy's first-half effort proved fruitless in a disappointing 3-1 defeat to Porto.

Shakhtar looked to be heading towards another defeat on their trip to Belgium, where Antwerp raced into a two-lead before the Ukrainian outfit turned the contest on its head, courtesy of a Danylo Sikan brace and a Yaroslav Rakitskyi effort, but they did have to survive Toby Alderweireld's late penalty miss to claim a 3-2 victory.

Wednesday's visitors have experienced a change in coach since that result after Patrick van Leeuwen was relieved of his duties, resulting in the club's director of football, Darijo Srna, being placed in charge on an interim basis.

Srna began his interim tenure with a commanding home win over LNZ Cherkasy, as Kelsy netted two late goals following Sikan's opener to secure a 3-0 victory, which leaves Shakhtar in third position in the Ukrainian Premier League and two points adrift of top spot with a game in hand.

The challenge will be far more difficult on Wednesday, as Shakhtar face Barcelona in a competitive game for the first time since April 2011, and they head into the midweek contest with just two wins in their last 15 Champions League group stage matches (D6, L7).

Barcelona Champions League form:

W

W

Barcelona form (all competitions):

W

D

W

W

D

W

Shakhtar Donetsk Champions League form:

L

W

Shakhtar Donetsk form (all competitions):

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Team News

Barcelona quartet Jules Kounde, Sergi Roberto, Frenkie de Jong and Pedri are all expected to be absent, while Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha are in a race against time to be included in the matchday squad.

Alejandro Balde and Lamine Yamal shook off their fitness concerns to feature in Sunday's clash with Athletic, and the two Barcelona academy products are in line to start on Wednesday.

After flying back from South America following the international break, Uruguay defender Ronald Araujo was used off the bench at the weekend, but he is expected to feature in the backline on Wednesday, and he could be joined in central defence by Inigo Martinez, who put in an impressive display against his former club on Sunday.

Following his memorable debut, Guiu could be included in a Champions League squad for the first time in his career.

Shakhtar are still expected to be without 20-year-old defender Stav Lemkin, who has missed the last five matches since picking up an injury in the 3-1 defeat to Porto on matchday one.

Following a spell on the sidelines, Valeriy Bondar played the full 90 minutes on his first appearance since July, and after getting valuable game time under his belt, the central defender is poised to retain his place for Wednesday's contest.

Having scored three goals in his last two appearances, Sikan is set to be given the thankless task of leading the line, and with chances expected to be few and far between, he will be under pressure to deliver when the opportunities do arrive.

Barcelona possible starting lineup:

Ter Stegen; Cancelo, Araujo, Martinez, Balde; Gavi, Romeu, Gundogan; Yamal, Felix, Torres

Shakhtar Donetsk possible starting lineup:

Riznyk; Konoplya, Bondar, Rakitskyi, Azarovi; Zubkov, Nazaryna, Stepanenko, Sudakov, Kryskiv; Sikan

We say: Barcelona 2-0 Shakhtar Donetsk

While there may be a tendency for the Barcelona squad to have one eye on Saturday's El Clasico, Xavi will be reminding his side to remain fully focused on the task at hand.

The Catalan outfit have coped well with the move to Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys this season, and we believe that they will continue their outstanding home form by claiming all three points in Wednesday's Champions League fixture.

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