Champions League | League Stage

Dec 10, 2024 at 8pm UK

Oblasny SportKomplex Metalist

Shakhtar vs Bayern

Match preview

Shakhtar used to play their domestic matches at the Arena Lviv in western Ukraine, but due to the ongoing conflict in the region, they have played all their European home matches in Germany at the Veltins-Arena.

Hirnyky will be concerned by their defeat to PSV as they were 2-0 up after 37 minutes but conceded three goals between the 87th minute and the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time.

Manager Marino Pusic's side are currently third in their domestic league with 33 points after 15 matches, four fewer than first-placed Dynamo Kyiv, but their record of 41 goals scored is the best return in the division.

Pusic's side are in good form, having won one, drawn one and lost one of their last three games, but having won their previous five.

Shakhtar's home record is also strong, having won seven of their last eight home games, and they have also won three of their last four Champions League matches when they were the home side.

As for their opponents, Bayern come into the game having beaten Heidenheim 4-2 in the Bundesliga on 7 December, a match in which they created seven good chances and enjoyed 82% of the possession.

Victory would be a welcome relief for Kompany, whose side were knocked out of the DFB-Pokal on 3 December when they lost 1-0 to Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen.

The Bavarians are just one point behind eighth-placed Monaco, who occupy the final automatic Champions League qualification spot, and three points behind third-placed Barcelona.

Bayern lead the German top-flight with 33 points after 13 rounds of matches and are the league's best attacking and defensive team, scoring 41 goals and conceding just 11.

The win against Heidenheim was Kompany's first in his last three games, but the Belgian had previously overseen seven consecutive wins for his side, a period in which they had not conceded a single goal.

The visitors are unbeaten in their last four away games, winning three of them, but it should be noted that they have failed to win any of their last five away Champions League games, losing four of them.

Recent Performance

Shakhtar Donetsk Champions League form:DLLWL

Shakhtar Donetsk form (all competitions):WWWLDW

Bayern Munich Champions League form:WLLWW

Bayern Munich form (all competitions):WWWDLW

Team News

Shakhtar will be without winger Pedrinho and left-back Pedro Henrique, who are suspended for Tuesday's game.

Goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk could be protected by a back four of Irakli Azarovi, Mykola Matviyenko, Valeriy Bondar and Yukhym Konoplia.

In the absence of Pedrinho, Oleksandr Zubkov, Danylo Sikan and Kevin are likely to start up front.

Bayern, meanwhile, will be without a number of players, including defenders Alphonso Davies, Hiroki Ito and Josip Stanisic, as well as goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

Kompany may be forced to field a back four of Sacha Boey, Dayot Upamecano, Kim Min-jae and Raphael Guerreiro in front of Sven Ulreich.

Midfielder Joao Palhinha and strikers Harry Kane and Kingsley Coman will be absent, so expect an attack of Michael Olise, Jamal Musiala, Leroy Sane and Thomas Muller in front of Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka.

Possible starting lineup

Shakhtar Donetsk possible starting lineup:

Riznyk; Konoplia, Bondar, Matviyenko, Azarovi; Bondarenko, Kryskiv, Sudakov; Zubkov, Sikan, Kevin

Bayern Munich possible starting lineup:

Neuer; Boey, Upamecano, Kim, Guerreiro; Kimmich, Goretzka; Olise, Musiala, Sane; Muller