Wednesday 25th November Kickoff: 1945hrs
Shakthar Donetsk v Real Madrid
Football – Europe – Champions League
Group A is not quite settled as Shakthar can still finish second ahead of PSG, but their opponents on Wednesday have already qualified and look likely to do so by virtue of winning the group. The Ukrainians know that anything less than three points and they would essentially be knocked out, however depending on the PSG result in Malmo, a win may not even be good enough to take matters to the last game.
Shatkhar recorded their first win of this year’s group stage in their last game when hammering Malmo 4-0. It had been an extremely disappointing campaign up until that point having lost heavily away to Real Madrid and at home to PSG. To further compound their misery, Malmo turned them over in Sweden in a game where the 1-0 score line actually flattered Mircea Lucescu’s team. Ordinarily, three defeats in their first four games at this phase would mean the best a team could hope for is third and a place in the Europa League, but fortunately for Shakthar, PSG taking only a point from two games against Real means they remain in with a slight chance.
It will have been a very long four days for all concerned with Real Madrid after their humbling defeat at home to Barcelona. The 4-0 defeat was their biggest reverse at the Bernabeu since losing 6-2 to the same team in 2009. The club’s President, Florentino Perez, has already came out and spoken in support of Rafael Benitez who was immediately criticised for the defeat. It leaves them six points behind Barca but on the evidence of Saturday’s game, the gulf between the two is much bigger than that. It has been a more positive story in terms of their European campaign as a point from their final two games would see them finish top and should – in theory – mean they face an easier game in the next stage.
Shakthar are joint top of their domestic league coming into this gams, and have scored at least 12 more than any of their rivals. With firepower like that, it makes their failure to register their first goal in the Champions League until the fourth game even more surprising. The performance against Malmo was much more akin to what we have came to expect from them down the years in this competition and it will need to be a similar standard to have hope of getting a result on Wednesday. One man who will be vitally important in their quest to get three points is Alex Teixeira. The Brazilian midfielder has already scored an incredible 19 goals this season.
Real have been rather comfortable in both away games in this group following a 2-0 win over Malmo with a rather dull goalless draw in Paris. Whether or not they are more extended on their trip to the Ukraine remains to be seen but their overall record away from home in the Champions League. One defeat in their last nine (last year’s semi final against Juventus) makes for good reading, whilst the last time they lost an away game in the group stage came all the way back in 2012.
Shakthar Donetsk v Real Madrid Betting Tips
This game has a rather unusual circumstance attached to it in that only one team actually has to win it. Shakthar need all three points to have any chance of qualifying for the last 16 of the Champions League but their opponents know a draw will be enough to guarantee them top spot. That could well mean people are put off from backing Real Madrid but I a, certainly not one of them.
Up until the win over Malmo, Shakthar had looked very poor and missing the spark of key players who departed in the summer. One win over a relatively moderate team is not enough to sway my opinion on them. Real Madrid, on the other hand, have barely been out of second gear in this group yet are already looking forward to playing in the knockout stage. That gives you and indication of the gap between these two clubs which should not be underestimated.
There is also a school of thought that the Spaniards will be licking their wounds from last weekend’s loss to Barcelona – and they may well be – but they will also want to take out that frustration and resume winning ways having now lost their last two. The circumstances surrounding the game should mean the home team have to take the game to their opponents which is usually music to the ears of Cristiano Ronaldo and his supporting cast, who relish having space to break into at speed.
A draw may well be good enough for the away team but I have yet to see a Real Madrid team set out to play for one in this type of scenario and I fancy them to condemn their opponents to fighting for a place in the Europa League come the final round of games.
Real Madrid 19/20 @ Coral
