Shakhtar Donetsk (1-0-2) vs Barcelona (3-0-0)
Tuesday, November 7, 2023 at 12:45 pm (Volksparkstadion)
Shakhtar Donetsk +1100/Barcelona -333 - Over/Under: 2.5 Click Here for the Latest Odds
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Barcelona are step away from reaching the Champions League knockout stage. They will be searching for three points against Shakhtar Donetsk when they meet in Round 4 at Volksparkstadion in Hamburg (neutral venue). The Miners, on the other hand, are in a good position to secure third place in Group H and a Europa League place. Still, they are massive underdogs here. Take a look at our Shakhtar Donetsk vs Barcelona betting preview and prediction.
Shakhtar Donetsk (Form and News)
Shakhtar Donetsk proved a tough nut to crack in a 2-1 defeat against Barcelona in Round 3 of the UEFA Champions League (UCL) group stages, but the result left them three points adrift of second-placed Porto. Here you can check out what I predicted for that game last week. That was Marino Pušić's first game in charge of the club, and he’s since followed it up with back-to-back domestic wins, helping to build momentum for potential revenge at the neutral venue of the Volksparkstadion.
It’s not just the reverse fixture that Shakhtar will be looking to avenge, as they’ve lost five of their seven UCL H2H meetings (W2) - their joint-most number of defeats in the competition against a single club! Any hopes of changing that narrative look slim based on their recent record, as Shakhtar have won just once across their last eight UCL matches (D3, L4).
Hot stat: Shakhtar have conceded the match opener in seven of their last eight UCL games, including each of the last five.
Player to watch: Oleksandr Zubkov has been a busy man for Shakhtar recently, contributing (G2, A2) across three of his last four games - the only exception came against Barcelona in the reverse fixture.
Pušić will be without Yukhym Konoplya (suspension) and Lassina Traore (tendon), while Ivan Petryak (ankle) is questionable.
Barcelona (Form and News)
Despite their dominant H2H record, Barcelona have never previously beaten Shakhtar twice in a UCL group stage. Xavi’s men travel to Germany having enjoyed a perfect European campaign to date (W3), and if that trend continues, it will be just the third time the Blaugrana have won their first four UCL group games. They could also win an 11th consecutive game against Ukrainian clubs.
Victory could seal their progression to the UCL knockout stages for the first time in three seasons, and confidence is bound to be high after securing a last-gasp 1-0 win at Real Sociedad. Back-to-back UCL away wins is a good omen heading into this trip too, although four defeats in the preceding five such matches (W1) - each without scoring - suggests they can't take anything for granted.
Player to watch: Ferran Torres scored and assisted in last week’s H2H match, making it a ninth consecutive win for the Spaniard when he scored in the UCL group stage.
Xavi cannot count on Sergi Roberto (foot), while Frenkie de Jong is questionable with an ankle injury.
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Shakhtar Donetsk vs Barcelona H2H Record
Shakhtar and Barcelona have met on eight occasions so far. Seven of those matches were in UCL, and one in the UEFA Super Cup. Overall, Barcelona have five wins; Shakhtar won two, while that Super Cup duel ended without goals. Blaugrana later won in extra time.
Shakhtar Donetsk vs Barcelona Odds
Shakhtar are absolute underdogs in this clash. If you believe in shocks, you can back the Miners at +1100. A draw is at +550, while Barcelona to win can be found at -333. When it comes to goals, Over 2.5 is at -200, and Under 2.5 is at +200. For both teams to score bettors, choose between BTTS YES at -108 and BTTS NO at +105. Check out more Champions League odds here!
Shakhtar Donetsk vs Barcelona Pick
A potential draw here wouldn’t be the end of the world for Barcelona. They would still be atop of the group, but I believe Xavi wants to secure a place in the knockout phase as soon as possible and will go for the win on Tuesday. That would allow him to mix up a bit in the remaining two rounds and focus more on La Liga, where they trail leaders Girona by four points.
Shakhtar have a lot to fight for; they are still not out of contention for the knockout stage, but a more realistic goal is third place in this group. The Ukrainian champions will be looking for points elsewhere, especially in a clash against Antwerp. I am backing Barcelona to secure an easy win here.
Oliver’s Pick Barcelona -1.5 (+105)
AUTHOR: Oliver Zivic
Mitch's Take...
