Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Royal Antwerp Preview – Prediction, Team news, Lineups – Football News, Previews, Predictions, Transfers

Shakhtar Donetsk is gearing up for a crucial clash against Royal Antwerp in the Champions League Group H as they aim to secure a spot in the last-16 stage.

Match Preview

Currently sitting in third place in Group H with six points, Shakhtar Donetsk trails behind Barcelona and Porto by three points.

The Ukrainian side has a chance to advance further in the competition but must overcome tough opponents in their remaining fixtures.

Notably, Shakhtar delivered a stunning performance in their previous match against Barcelona, securing a 1-0 victory with Danylo Sikan’s goal. This win propelled them to six points in the group standings.

Although Shakhtar is currently third in Group H, their head-to-head record against Barcelona gives them hope even if they lose to Antwerp.

However, to secure a top-two position, they will likely need to win their final two matches against Antwerp and Porto.

Under the guidance of Marino Pusic, Shakhtar has experienced mixed results in the group stage. They suffered defeats against Porto (at home) and Barcelona (away), but managed to claim victories against Antwerp (away) and Barcelona (home). Their recent league match ended in a goalless draw against Polissya.

In terms of their domestic performance, Shakhtar currently sits fourth in their domestic table, trailing five points behind leaders Kryvbas KR.

The club’s last successful venture into the Champions League knockout stage was during the 2017-18 campaign when they were eliminated by Roma in the round of 16.

Royal Antwerp, on the other hand, faced a challenging start to their group-stage campaign with a 5-0 defeat against Barcelona. They later suffered a narrow 3-2 loss to Shakhtar in the reverse fixture.

The Belgian outfit faced consecutive defeats against Porto, losing 4-1 at home and 2-0 away. With zero points from four matches, they currently occupy the bottom position in Group H.

However, there is still a slim possibility for them to secure third place and qualify for the Europa League.

Mark van Bommel’s side enters this match following a 1-1 draw with Sint-Truiden in their domestic league, leaving them in fifth place.

Despite winning their fifth Belgian First Division title last season, Antwerp faces difficulties in their debut appearance in the Champions League group stage.

Their struggle is evident from the three goals scored and 14 conceded in the competition.

Shakhtar is poised to take advantage of this and secure all three points if they perform well, especially considering their recent success against Barcelona.

Shakhtar Donetsk Champions League form: W L W W

Shakhtar Donetsk form (all competitions): W L W W L D

Royal Antwerp Champions League form: W W L L L L

Royal Antwerp form (all competitions): L L W L W D

Team News:

Shakhtar Donetsk will rely on their leading goalscorer, Danylo Sikan, who has netted six times this season, including the crucial winner against Barcelona.

However, Lassina Traore, Artem Bondarenko, and Ivan Petryak will miss the match due to injuries.

Oleksandr Zubkov, who has contributed three goals from midfield this season, will feature in the starting lineup alongside Taras Stepanenko, an experienced presence in the midfield.

Antwerp will be without Jurgen Ekkelenkamp due to a red card received in their previous match against Porto.

Additionally, Bjorn Engels, Mandela Keita, Jacob Ondrejka, and Anthony Valencia are unavailable due to fitness issues.

Eighteen-year-old Arthur Vermeeren, highly regarded as one of the best young talents in European football, will be a key player for the Belgian side.

Vincent Janssen, with nine goals in 22 appearances this season, will lead Antwerp’s attack.

Predicted Lineups:

Shakhtar Donetsk possible starting lineup:

Riznyk;

Gocholeishvili, Bondar, Rakitskyi, Matvienko;

Zubkov, Kryskiv, Stepanenko, Sudakov, Newerton;

Sikan

Royal Antwerp possible starting lineup:

Lammens;

De Laet, Van den Bosch, Coulibaly, Wijndal;

Yusuf, Vermeeren;

Kerk, Muja, Balikwisha;

Janssen

Prediction:

Considering Shakhtar Donetsk’s impressive performance against Barcelona, it is expected that they will have the upper hand against Antwerp.

While the visitors possess quality that can cause problems, Shakhtar should be able to secure all three points.

• Our Prediction: Shakhtar Donetsk 2-0 Royal Antwerp