On Wednesday, October 2, 2024, Shakhtar Donetsk will face off against Atalanta in a highly anticipated UEFA Champions League match. The game is set to kick off at 17:45 BST (16:45 GMT) at the Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, due to Shakhtar Donetsk's home games being played on neutral turf.
Team News and Lineups
Shakhtar Donetsk comes into this match after a 0-0 draw against Bologna in their previous Champions League outing. During that game, Georgiy Sudakov had a penalty saved by Bologna's ukasz Skorupski, and Danylo Sikan suffered an injury, which has kept him sidelined. Tymur Puzankov remains a long-term absentee, but Yukhym Konoplya has returned to action and is expected to feature.
The predicted lineup for Shakhtar Donetsk includes: Riznyk; Bondar, Ghram, Matviyenko; Gomes, Kryskiv, Stepanenko, Pedro Henrique; Sudakov; Zubkov, Eguinaldo. There are suggestions that Shakhtar may change their shape to counter Atalanta's three-man defense.
Atalanta, who are the current Europa League holders, have several injury concerns. Players like Isak Hien, Rafael Toloi, Giorgio Scalvini, and Gianluca Scamacca are out, while Marco Brescianini and Matteo Ruggeri have recently joined the absentee list. Despite these challenges, Atalanta managed a 0-0 draw against Arsenal in their opening Champions League match. For this game, Ademola Lookman, Lazar Samardzic, and Charles De Ketelaere are set to start, with Mateo Retegui surprisingly on the bench. The lineup is expected to be: Carnesecchi; Kossounou, Djimsiti, Kolasinac; Bellanova, De Roon, Ederson, Zappacosta; Samardzic, De Ketelaere, Lookman.
Match Preview and Predictions
Atalanta, despite their injury woes, will be looking to secure their first win of the Champions League group stage. Their performance against Arsenal, where they earned a point, was seen as positive given the changes in their squad. However, they missed a crucial opportunity when Mateo Retegui was denied from the penalty spot twice by Arsenal's David Raya.
Shakhtar Donetsk, on the other hand, has been struggling in their domestic league and their early-season form suggests this is not a vintage Shakhtar outfit. Playing their home games away from Ukraine has also been a hindrance. Given these factors, Atalanta is predicted to win the match with a scoreline of 0-2.
The referee for the match will be Joao Pinheiro from Portugal, with Tiago Martins serving as the VAR official.
Head-to-Head and Current Form
The two teams have met twice before in the group stage of the 2019-20 UEFA Champions League, with each team securing one win. Currently, both teams are looking to improve their standings in the group after drawing their opening matches.
For those interested in the broader context of the UEFA Champions League, it is worth noting that this competition is one of the most prestigious in European football, with a rich history dating back to 1955. The UEFA Champions League has seen many legendary teams and players over the years.
