Sports Mole previews Wednesday’s Champions League clash between Shakhtar Donetsk and Atalanta BC, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
After both settled for goalless draws in their Champions League opener, Shakhtar Donetsk and Atalanta BC will seek a first league-phase victory when they meet in Gelsenkirchen on Wednesday.
Shakhtar face another Italian team after being held by Bologna, while La Dea came close to edging out Arsenal on the opening matchday.
Match preview
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Making an eighth successive appearance in the Champions League proper, Shakhtar Donetsk kicked off their latest campaign with a goalless stalemate in Bologna, meaning they have won only eight of their last 37 matches in Europe’s top club competition.
Having just missed out on the knockout rounds last term after losing on the final matchday, they have been eliminated at the group stage for six seasons on the spin, but their stated aim for this year is to at least make the playoffs.
Head coach Marino Pusic was appointed in October, before leading Shakhtar to their 15th Ukrainian Premier League title and then winning the cup to complete a ninth domestic double, but his team are yet to manage back-to-back wins this season.
Ahead of this week’s trip to Germany, where they will host their ‘home’ fixtures due to the ongoing war in their homeland, the Pitmen conceded a late equaliser to drop two points against Veres Rivne in a 1-1 draw on Friday.
Either side of their visit to Stadio Dall’Ara, they had scored nine goals in two league wins – beating Karpaty Lviv 5-2 and Obolon Kyiv 4-0 – but they only occupy fourth place in the table, six points shy of leaders Dynamo Kyiv.
Precedent will not be on Shakhtar’s side this week, as they have won just eight of their last 27 European home games – no doubt, partly due to their long absence from Donetsk – and are also without a win in nine against Italian opposition.
In fact, their last such victory was a 2-1 success over Atalanta during the 2019 Champions League group stage, which spoiled La Dea’s first ever home game in the competition.
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Gian Piero Gasperini‘s side would ultimately have the last laugh on that occasion, qualifying for the last 16 at Shakhtar’s expense by winning 3-0 in Ukraine on the final matchday.
Of course, ‘Gasp’ is still in charge of the Bergamo club, who he led to Europa League glory last season, and they are back in the Champions League for a fourth time – each campaign coming since 2019.
In their first fixture this year, the Nerazzurri were forced to settle for a 0-0 draw at home to Arsenal, as Mateo Retegui saw a second-half penalty saved before his follow-up header was spectacularly clawed away by David Raya.
In isolation, that result was quite commendable, but Atalanta have now won just once in their last nine matches at Europe’s top level – and this season they have already lost to Torino, Inter Milan and Como on the domestic front.
Chronically inconsistent, a 90th-minute equaliser from substitute Lazar Samardzic was required to rescue a 1-1 draw against 10-man Bologna at the weekend, leaving them 11th in the Serie A standings.
Furthermore, Gasperini’s new-look side – bolstered by a number of summer recruits – have conceded 12 goals in their first six league matches, having started the season with a 2-0 loss to Real Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup.
Shakhtar Donetsk Champions League form:
Shakhtar Donetsk form (all competitions):
Atalanta BC Champions League form:
Atalanta BC form (all competitions):
Team News
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Gasperini will hope to have key defender Isak Hien back from an adductor problem that ruled the Swedish centre-back out of Atalanta’s draw with Bologna, but Ben Godfrey (back) and Rafael Toloi (thigh) are still struggling for fitness.
Furthermore, last-gasp saviour Lazar Samardzic replaced Marco Brescianini on Saturday evening after the latter suffered a thigh injury; long-term absentees Gianluca Scamacca and Giorgio Scalvini (both ACL) will be sidelined until next year.
There will be another battle for places up front in Gelsenkirchen, as Mateo Retegui could return after being dropped at the weekend, while Charles De Ketelaere and Ademola Lookman are also vying to start.
Lookman not only scored five times in three Europa League starts at the end of last season, but before firing a blank in Bologna he had also found the net in four straight Serie A matches.
Meanwhile, Shakhtar’s main threat should come from top scorer Artem Bondarenko – who recently scored a hat-trick against Karpaty Lviv – Georgiy Sudakov and Danylo Sikan: the latter pair are on three goals apiece this season.
Ukraine midfielder Sudakov also created the most chances (10) and completed the most passes (229) of any Shakhtar player during last year’s group stage.
Sikan suffered a nose injury on the opening matchday, though, and remains a doubt; full-back Yukhym Konoplya returned to the side on Friday after picking up a knock against Bologna.
Shakhtar Donetsk possible starting lineup:
Riznyk; Konoplya, Matviyenko, Bondar, Pedrinho; Bondarenko, Kyrskiv; Zubkov, Sudakov, Newerton; Traore
Atalanta BC possible starting lineup:
Carnesecchi; Djimsiti, Kossounou, Kolasinac; Zappacosta, Ederson, De Roon, Ruggeri; Samardzic, Lookman; Retegui
We say: Shakhtar Donetsk 1-1 Atalanta BC
Although Shakhtar Donetsk cannot benefit from home advantage, Atalanta do not tend to travel well and have proven to be inconsistent this season.
The Italian side could be frustrated by very capable opponents in Germany, so both teams may find themselves on two points from as many league-phase matches.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.