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Attendance: 21,526
Shakhtar Donetsk
Champions League | Group Stage
Oct 22, 2019 at 5.55pm UK
 
Dinamo Zagreb

2-2

Konoplyanka (16'), Dodo (75')
FT(HT: 1-1)
Olmo (25'), Orsic (60' pen.)

Preview: Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Dinamo Zagreb - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Tuesday's Champions League game between Shakhtar Donetsk and Dinamo Zagreb including predictions, team news and lineups.

Shakhtar Donetsk host Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday evening with both sides looking to register their second win in the Champions League group stage.

Both sides have made identical starts in Group B, with each side beating Atalanta and losing to Manchester City, but the Croatian champions sit above their Ukrainian opponents on goal difference.


Match Preview

Taras Stepanenko in action for Shakhtar Donetsk on September 18, 2019© Reuters

Shakhtar warmed up for this game by thumping Kolos 6-0 on Friday, a win that took them to 11 wins from 11 games in the league with 36 goals scored and just six conceded.

In both of their Champions League matches this season the Ukrainians have shown their attacking flair, with the likes of Junior Moraes, Taison and Viktor Kovalenko all impressing, but they have been a little exposed by pace defensively.

Luis Santos's men are without a clean sheet in 18 Champions League games, the longest run of any side in this year's group stage, and more worryingly they are winless in their last four home fixtures in the competition.

More encouragingly for Shakhtar, who are still playing their home matches in Kharkiv as a result of the ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine, they have won the only two meetings between these sides during the 21st century, both of which came during the Champions League preliminary rounds in 2008.

Dinamo Zagreb attacker Dani Olmo in action for Spain's Under-21 team at the Under-21 European Championships in June 2019© Reuters

Zagreb too were in action on Friday, Mislav Orsic's hat-trick helping them to a 4-2 win away to HNK Gorica that kept them top of the Croatian league table after 11 games.

The Croatian winger also recorded a treble against Atalanta on matchday one and he will be essential to any hopes Nenad Bjelica's side have of taking some points from this fixture.

His pace and width will be key, as will the finishing of teammate Bruno Petkovic and the creativity of Spanish starlet Dani Olmo, who was rested for Friday's league fixture.

The Croatians opted for five at the back against Manchester City but they are likely to go for their more traditional three in this game, something that could lead to a recurrence of the defensive issues that have cost them at points this season.

Shakhtar Donetsk recent form: LW
Shakhtar Donetsk recent form (all competitions): LWWWWW

Dinamo Zagreb recent form: WL
Dinamo Zagreb recent form (all competitions): LWWLWW


Team News

Dinamo Zagreb coach Nenad Bjelica pictured in May 2019© Reuters

Shakhtar have a fully fit squad at their disposal for Tuesday's game, which allowed coach Santos to rest some players and change up their formation on Friday evening.

Veteran Brazilian attacker Marlos, a substitute in that league win, is likely to start ahead of Tete, while Taras Stepanenko should also return to the side in place of Alan Patrick.

Aside from Lovro Majer, Bjelica also has basically his entire squad to choose from for Tuesday's crunch game that could influence who moves to the last 16 and who drops into the Europa League.

Bjelica's main dilemma will be whether to opt for a 3-4-3 or a 4-3-3, with the former looking more likely as it allows the Croats to incorporate more of their dynamic attacking players.

Expect Izet Hajrovic to come into the midfield, with Olmo and Orsic tasked with providing regular service for Petkovic up front.

Shakhtar Donetsk possible starting lineup:
Pyatov; Dodo, Bondar, Matviyenko, Cipriano; Kovalenko, Stepanenko; Marlos, Taison, Konoplyanka; Moraes

Dinamo Zagreb possible starting lineup:
Livakovic; Theophile-Catherine, Dilaver, Peric; Hajrovic, Moro, Ademi, Leovic; Orsic, Petkovic, Olmo


Sports Mole Logo

We say: Shakhtar Donetsk 2-1 Dinamo Zagreb

The stage is set for a high-quality game packed with attacking football on Tuesday night but home advantage and greater experience at this level should help Shakhtar secure a second win in this year's group stage.



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Dinamo Zagreb coach Nenad Bjelica pictured in May 2019
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Group C

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Group D

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Group E

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Group F

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Group G

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