SHAKHTAR DONETSK – CELTIC | Wednesday 6.45pm
The away win at Leipzig cost the hosts’ coach Tedesco the bench. Shakhtar made a great start to their Champions League journey and now want to repeat the positive things they showed on their debut. The game will be played in Poland, in Warsaw to be precise, given the momentum they have been experiencing in Ukraine for a long time now. But that’s another matter.
The thing to underline, of course, is that nobody expected such a clear-cut victory for the Ukrainians, who took advantage of Leipzig’s defensive amnesias – and also those of the goalkeeper – but who were good at staying in the game and giving themselves a magical evening. Diametrically the opposite was the case for Postecoglou’s Celtic, who were downed by Ancelotti’s Real Madrid despite Benzema’s injury that took the Frenchman off the pitch already in the first half. In the second half, the Spanish team accelerated, inflicting their first European defeat on the Scots. Called to redemption. Difficult.
The Prediction
In a match that should give at least one goal per team, the feeling is that the hosts can take their second win of the round. The game is being played in Warsaw, as mentioned, and this may well be a factor to be taken into account. But the feeling is that Shakhtar have what it takes to take the three points.
The likely line-up for Shakhtar Donetsk-Celtic
- SHAKHTAR DONETSK (4-1-4-1): Trubin; Mykhaylic, Matviienko, Bondar, Konoplya; Stepanenko; Mudryk, Sudakov, Bondarenko, Petryak; Sikan.
- CELTIC (4-3-3): Hart; Juranovic, Carter-Vickers, Jenz, Taylor; O’Riley, McGregor, Hatate; Abada, Giakoumakis, Jota.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-1
