Shakhtar Donetsk vs Bayern Munich

Gelsenkirchen’s Veltins Arena sets the stage for a high-stakes UEFA Champions League meeting between qualification hopefuls Shakhtar Donetsk and Bayern Munich. 

Shakhtar Donetsk’s hopes of securing Champions League knockout qualification are waning after a frustrating 3-2 defeat at PSV Eindhoven last time out left them outside the playoff spots. However, the Ukrainians are level on points with 24th Real Madrid, having won just one of their five league-phase games (D1, L3). Marino Pusic’s men have struggled on the road this season, picking up just one point from three Champions League away matches (D1, L2) while failing to get on the scoresheet twice. However, they’ve excelled as nominal hosts, winning three of their last four such outings in this competition (L1), including a come-from-behind 2-1 victory against Young Boys on matchday four. Ominously for Shakhtar fans, the only exception came in a 3-0 rout at the hands of Atalanta in Gelsenkirchen.

As for Bayern Munich, they quickly bounced back from a disappointing DFB-Pokal elimination against Bayer Leverkusen, beating Bundesliga minnows Heidenheim 4-2 at home last weekend to maintain their unbeaten league start under Vincent Kompany (W10, D3). The Belgian manager enjoyed a dream touchline debut in the Champions League, guiding the Bavarians to a record-breaking 9-2 home triumph against Dinamo Zagreb on day one. However, the record-time German champions have since blown hot and cold across their four European contests (W2, L2), falling a point behind eighth-placed Monaco. With both those defeats coming away from home, Bayern’s sub-par winless streak in Champions League road action now stands at five (D1, L4).