Barcelona-Shakhtar Donetsk is a match from the third day of the group stage of the Champions League and is played on Wednesday at 6:45 pm: TV, formations, predictions.
Barcelona doesn’t want to take any risks this year and, mindful of what happened in the last two seasons – on both occasions the Blaugrana finished third in their group, thus relegating to the Europa League – they are off to a strong start in the Champions League as well. Xavi’s team set the record straight first by overwhelming Antwerp (5-0) with goals and then by narrowly beating Porto at the Estadio do Dragao, which was pierced three weeks ago by a Ferran Torres goal (0-1) at the end of a very even match.
The victory obtained in Portugal is crucial especially in view of first place: now it is frankly all downhill for the Catalans, who could mortgage supremacy and qualification to the round of 16 in case of a double success against the Ukrainians of Shakhtar Donetsk, momentarily third on 3 points right along with Porto. Barcelona is fresh from a victory, also 1-0, over Athletic Bilbao: another rough game against such a tough opponent as the Basque side, decided in the final by yet another very young prospect coming out of the blaugrana cantera, the 2006-born Marc Guiu. Three points that allowed Barça to remain unbeaten – the only team to do so in La Liga – and to nibble two points off leading Real Madrid, which was stopped by Sevilla.
Barça wants to stay on full points
The Shakhtar Donetsk may not be the one of a few years ago – the famous “colony” of Brazilians – but it showed great personality in the challenge with Antwerp, overturned in the second half (2-3) after closing the first one down by two goals.
Sikan
Barcelona-Shakhtar Donetsk, the Champions League prediction: risk NoGoal, watch out for MG 2-4 home ⤵️ footballnews24 https://t.co/j37yEBbh85
– Football News 24 (@Ftbnews24) October 24, 2023
A match that was an ups and downs of emotions, with the Belgians even missing a penalty kick with Alderweireld in mid-recovery. In the Ukrainian league, however, the Orangeers, led by Croatian Darijo Srna, are forced to chase: they have one game less but ahead are the surprising Kryvbas and Polissya.
The Prediction
Barcelona has to contend with a few too many absences (Lewandowski, Raphinha, De Jong, Koundé and Gavi) but should still get the better of Shakhtar Donetsk in a potentially prolific match of at least three goals in total.
Barcelona-Shakhtar Donetsk likely lineups
- BARCELONA (4-3-3): ter Stegen: João Cancelo, Araújo, Christensen, Alonso; Fermin Lopez, Romeu, Gündoğan; Yamal, Ferran Torres, João Félix.
- SHAKHTAR DONETSK (4-3-3): Riznyk; Konoplia, Bondar, Matviyenko, Azarov; Bondarenko, Stepanenko, Sudakov; Zubkov, Sikan, Newerton.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-1
