Barcelona will be looking to qualify for the knockout stage when they visit Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League. In Group H, the Catalan team has been outstanding so far, leading the division with nine points. They are followed by Shakhtar in third place with three points from three games played.
Preview (Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Barcelona)
Shakhtar’s Group H campaign began with a 3-1 home loss to Porto, but they bounced back to defeat Royal Antwerp 3-2 in their section’s second encounter at the beginning of October. In their third sectional match on October 25, Marino Pusic’s team played well against Barcelona, but they lost 2-1. With three points from three games, they are now in third place, three points behind Porto in second place.
Pusic’s club will come into this game fresh from a 1-0 victory over Dynamo Kyiv in the Ukrainian Premier League. It put them in third place in the standings with 24 points. Shakhtar’s record against Spanish opponents in home games is three wins, five draws, and seven losses. The Ukrainian team has not advanced from their group in the last five Champions League seasons. If they are not able to secure a top-two spot—Barcelona and Porto are also in excellent positions. They will fancy their chances of finishing ahead of Antwerp in third.
Barcelona has placed third in its previous two group-stage Champions League competitions. Head coach Xavi has not been able to get his team into the competition’s knockout stages. But in the event of an incredible upset, the Catalan squad will make it to this season’s round of 16. Barcelona can guarantee their advancement if they win this game. Even in the event that they lose on Tuesday night, they would still be in a great position. With two straight victories against Porto and Shakhtar, as well as a 5-0 victory over Antwerp in their section opener, the La Liga champions lead Group H with nine points.
Team News
Stav Lemkin, Lassina Traore, and Ivan Petryak will be absent for Shakhtar in this match, and it’s also likely that Irakli Azarovi won’t play after being carted off against Dynamo Kyiv the previous time. Yaroslav Rakitskyi, 34, is now anticipated to be added to the starting lineup for this game after replacing Azarovi off the bench in the league game. With four goals this season for Shakhtar, Danylo Sikan is expected to continue operating in the last third of the pitch, and Alexander Zubkov, who has three goals, should continue to start in the attacking midfield.
Regarding Barcelona, Pedro finally made his comeback on Saturday against Real Sociedad, coming off the bench. Sergi Roberto, who is struggling with a calf injury, is the only player from the Catalan team who is certain to miss this game. However, Frenkie de Jong is also a serious doubt because of an ankle ailment. While Robert Lewandowski is recovering from his own ankle injury, he should start once more. However, there might be a few changes from the match against Real Sociedad over the weekend, with Raphinha and Andreas Christensen perhaps entering the lineup.
Shakhtar Donetsk 1 – 2 Barcelona
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