Burkina Faso
Czech Republic
Hungary
Lithuania
Montenegro
Nigeria
United Arab Emirates

Shakhtarvs.Bayern

sportsmole.co.uk, 8 December 2024, 21:34
Vincent Kompany's Bayern Munich will hope to push towards the Champions League's top eight on Tuesday when they face home team Shakhtar Donetsk at Veltins-Arena.

The Ukrainian hosts are in 26th place with four points after five matchdays in the Europe's premier competition, losing 3-2 against PSV Eindhoven on November 27, while the Bavarians are in 13th place with nine points and beat Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 on November 26.

Match preview

Shakhtar have played their domestic home matches at Arena Lviv in the west of Ukraine, but due to the ongoing conflict in the region, they have played all of their home European games in Germany at Veltins-Arena.

Hirnyky will be concerned by their defeat against PSV considering they had taken a 2-0 lead after 37 minutes but conceded three goals between the 87th minute and the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time.

Manager Marino Pusic's side are currently third in their domestic league with 33 points after 15 matches, four fewer than first-placed Dynamo Kyiv, but their record of 41 goals scored is the division's best return.

Pusic's team are in good form, as while they have won one, drawn one and lost one of their three most recent games, they did prevail in the prior five games.

Shakhtar's home record is also strong, with the club having triumphed in seven of their past eight home matches, and they have also won three of their four most recent Champions League fixtures when playing as the home team.

As for their opponents, Bayern come into the clash having beaten Heidenheim 4-2 in the Bundesliga on December 7, a match in which they created seven big chances and accumulated 82% possession.

The win would have come as a welcome relief to Kompany, whose side were eliminated from the DFB-Pokal on December 3 when they lost 1-0 against Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen.

The Bavarians are just one point from eighth-placed Monaco, who occupy the final automatic qualification spot for the Champions League's round of 16, and they are in fact just three points from third-placed Barcelona.

Bayern lead the way in the German top flight with 33 points after 13 matchweeks, and they are also the league's best offensive and defensive side having scored 41 goals and conceded on 11 occasions.

Kompany's win against Heidenheim was his first in his last three games, but the Belgian did oversee seven consecutive victories in his team's previous fixtures, a period in which they did not concede a single goal.

The visitors are unbeaten in their past four away games, winning three, but it should be noted that they have failed to triumph in any of their last five matches on the road in the Champions League, losing four times.

Shakhtar Donetsk Champions League form:

D

L

L

W

L

Shakhtar Donetsk form (all competitions):

Bayern Munich Champions League form:

W

L

L

W

W

Bayern Munich form (all competitions):

W

W

W

D

L

W

Team News

Shakhtar will be without both winger Pedrinho and left-back Pedro Henrique, who are suspended for Tuesday's game.

Goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk could be protected by a back four consisting of Irakli Azarovi, Mykola Matviyenko, Valeriy Bondar and Yukhym Konoplia.

In light of Pedrinho's absence, Oleksandr Zubkov, Danylo Sikan and Kevin are likely to be selected to start in the forward line.

Meanwhile, Bayern will be unable to call upon a number of players, including defenders Alphonso Davies, Hiroki Ito and Josip Stanisic, as well as goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

Kompany may be forced to field a backline of Sacha Boey, Dayot Upamecano, Kim Min-jae and Raphael Guerreiro in front of Sven Ulreich.

Midfielder Joao Palhinha, as well as forwards Harry Kane and Kingsley Coman, will miss out, so expect to see an attack featuring Michael Olise, Jamal Musiala, Leroy Sane and Thomas Muller in front of Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka.

Shakhtar Donetsk possible starting lineup:

Riznyk; Konoplia, Bondar, Matviyenko, Azarovi; Bondarenko, Kryskiv, Sudakov; Zubkov, Sikan, Kevin

Bayern Munich possible starting lineup:

Neuer; Boey, Upamecano, Kim, Guerreiro; Kimmich, Goretzka; Olise, Musiala, Sane; Muller

We say: Shakhtar Donetsk 1-3 Bayern Munich

Bayern could take some time to settle into the game considering they have a number of injury absentees in their defence and attack, and it would be surprising if they managed to keep a clean sheet.

Written by

Lewis Nolan

Previews by email
Show more

Top News

22 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Thiago Almada produced a moment of magic to guide Argentina to a 1-0 away win over Uruguay in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. 22 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Bournemouth are reportedly interested in signing Chelsea loanee Kepa Arrizabalaga on a permanent transfer. 22 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Battling for a place in League B of the UEFA Nations League, Georgia are set to host Armenia at the Boris Paichadze Stadium for the second leg of their playoff on Sunday. 22 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool have reportedly been alerted to the possibility of signing Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi in a cut-price deal. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber has become the latest Arsenal player to withdraw from his national team. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Brazil will be forced to contend with numerous absentees against Argentina following their 2-1 victory against Colombia on Friday morning. 21 March 2025 talksport.com Thomas Tuchel hasn't been shy in calling out Phil Foden and Marcus Rashford's displays from England's 2-0 victory over Albania on Friday night. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City Women will face Chelsea Women in the third of four consecutive head-to-head matches in Sunday's clash at the Etihad Stadium. 21 March 2025 talksport.com Myles Lewis-Skelly was the star of the show on his England debut as his goal helped new boss Thomas Tuchel get off to a winning start. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arne Slot could lose a number of forwards in the summer transfer window but may also be boosted by the arrival of additions, Reds transfer expert David Lynch has claimed. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Thomas Tuchel started his England tenure with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Albania in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Turkey will hope to maintain their first-leg lead and advance into League A of the UEFA Nations League on Sunday when they travel to Puskas Arena to take on Hungary. 21 March 2025 talksport.com Myles Lewis-Skelly created England history by becoming the youngest player to score on their senior debut for the national team. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Canada can earn their second medal at the CONCACAF Nations League on Sunday when they take on the USA at SoFi Stadium in California. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk England debutant Myles Lewis-Skelly wrote a new page of Three Lions history with his opening goal in Friday's World Cup 2026 qualifier against Albania. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Leicester City Women will continue their Women's Super League survival bid when they face Brighton & Hove Albion Women in Sunday's clash at the King Power Stadium. 21 March 2025 talksport.com Jude Bellingham has moved ahead of Wayne Rooney in the England record books by earning his latest cap against Albania. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Iceland and Kosovo will complete their UEFA Nations League promotion/relegation playoff tie on Sunday, when they meet at the Estadio Nueva Condomina in Spain. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United defender Ayden Heaven could reportedly resume training with the Red Devils shortly after the international break, with the issue that he suffered against Leicester City last weekend not believed to be serious. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Pau Cubarsi has returned to Barcelona after suffering an ankle injury in Spain's UEFA Nations League quarter-final first leg against Netherlands on Thursday night. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk West Ham United Women will welcome Tottenham Hotspur Women to the Chigwell Construction Stadium for Sunday's Women's Super League clash. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk England boss Thomas Tuchel has named his first starting lineup as Three Lions boss for Friday's World Cup 2026 qualifier against Albania. 21 March 2025 talksport.com Riccardo Calafiori has reportedly given Arsenal a major boost with his knee injury not claimed to be serious. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson is reportedly set to hold 'crunch talks' with the Reds hierarchy over his future at the end of the season. 21 March 2025 talksport.com Follow all the action as Thomas Tuchel takes charge of his first game as England manager against Albania, live on talkSPORT. 21 March 2025 talksport.com Follow all the action as Thomas Tuchel takes charge of his first game as England manager against Albania, live on talkSPORT. 21 March 2025 talksport.com England made a winning start to life under Thomas Tuchel on Friday night as they beat Albania 2-0 at Wembley. 21 March 2025 talksport.com Chelsea's first opponents at this summer's Club World Cup have been expelled from the competition, FIFA has announced. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal have reportedly learned how long Riccardo Calafiori will be out for with a knee injury following the defender's withdrawal from the Italy squad. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Ruben Amorim has been told that Brighton & Hove Albion winger Kaoru Mitoma has the quality to play for Manchester United.