A gruelling journey across the continent awaits Shakhtar Donetsk, who will play the first of their four UEFA Champions League (UCL) ‘home’ games at Stamford Bridge when they host AEK Athens.
Match News and Current Form
Journeying to London for a ‘home’ game is unenviable for Shakhtar, and further complicates their chances of collecting a first win of the campaign following their 1-1 draw away to PSV on matchday one. That result means Shakhtar have won only two of their last ten UCL proper matches (D2, L6), although with both victories coming in games they ‘hosted’, they have every right to feel confident. Five wins from their last nine games in the league phase of European competition (D2, L2) should reinforce that belief, and boss Arda Turan has positive memories at Stamford Bridge to lean upon as he scored here against Chelsea to help send Atlético Madrid to the 2014 final.
Making their first main draw appearance in UEFA’s top competition since 2018/19, AEK Athens made a successful return to the big stage with a 1-0 win at home to LASK. They haven’t conceded in 270 minutes of continental football this season after defeating Levski Sofia 4-0 on aggregate in qualifying, leaving them well placed to start a European Cup/UCL campaign with two wins for the first time in club history. Their inability to win on their travels is a big reason as to why they’ve never done so previously, with AEK winless in 22 consecutive European Cup/UCL proper games away from home (D5, L17).
Head-to-Head History
This may be the inaugural H2H and the first UCL game between teams from Ukraine and Greece in almost 20 years, but Shakhtar are unbeaten in Europe against Greek opposition (W1, D4).
Hot Stats and Streaks
Five of Shakhtar’s last six UCL matches saw both teams score.
Shakhtar kept a clean sheet in six of their last seven competitive wins.
AEK didn’t concede a first-half goal in any of their eight competitive wins this season.
AEK failed to score in ten of their 12 UCL proper losses this century.
Key Players to Watch and Missing Players
Shakhtar’s Pedrinho has made an impactful return from injury with goals in consecutive league games, with his last five strikes opening the scoring in wins to nil. Luka Jović’s last five goals for AEK all came in victories, with four of his last five strikes for club or country arriving in the second half.
Alaa Ghram and Kiril Fesiun are out for Shakhtar, while the AEK trio of Thomas Strakosha, Lazaros Rota and Barnabás Varga were all doubtful following the weekend.
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Betting Analysis
The Ukrainian side’s knack for keeping clean sheets in victories and AEK’s for drawing a blank in defeat point towards Shakhtar Donetsk winning to nil here.
Author: Aaron Murphy