Real Madrid vs Shakhtar Donetsk
Real Madrid vs Shakhtar Donetsk Wednesday 21st October 2020 – 17:55 Kick-Off
UEFA Champions League Group B
Pick: Both Teams to Score
Odds: 5/6
Bookmaker: BetVictor
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 19th October 2020)
Preview: Just a third-ever meeting between these two clubs, as Real Madrid look to bounce back from a disappointing 2019-20 UEFA Champions League campaign by making a winning start in Group G at home to Shakhtar Donetsk. It is a contest which pits the champions of Spain against the champions in Ukraine.
UEFA Champions League Betting at Bet365
Table of Contents
Real Madrid Preview – Los Blancos not prepared to settle for second best again?
No club can boast of more Champions League group stage participations (25) than Real Madrid, who also happen to be the most successful club in the competition’s history having lifted the trophy on no fewer than thirteen occasions. Moreover, the Spanish side have never failed to make it out of their group, although would have to settle for second spot in three of their past four group stage campaigns.
The latter therefore makes odds of 4/6 (Betway) about them topping Group B very unappealing, considering recent history dictates they will likely to drop points on at least one occasion. As was the case last season in a section which included losing finalists PSG, safely progressing onto the knockout phase despite failing to win half of their allotted group fixtures (W3 D2 L1) – and only once in Madrid (W1 D2).
Meanwhile, a shock 1-0 home defeat at the hands of promoted Cadiz is how Real prepared for Wednesday’s Group B opener. A first loss of the season for Zinedine Zidane’s men having previously taken maximum points from three of their first four La Liga games. A swift return to winning ways could be on the cards, however: Los Blancos have won five of seven prior home meetings versus Ukrainian opposition (W5 D2).
Shakhtar Donetsk Preview – A sixth successive European away game unbeaten?
Last season’s beaten Europa League semi-finalists are back to try their hand at another Champions League group stage campaign, with this set to be the club’s 15th overall having fallen at this point on ten previous attempts. The last of those came last season, edging out Dinamo Zagreb to finish third behind Atalanta and Man City as they missed out on the knockouts for the second season running by a solitary point.
Even though their performances were largely underwhelming, Shakhtar Donetsk would earn a couple of notable results in last season’s group stage prior to dropping into the Europa League. Crucially, both would come away from home, where they avoided defeat on all three outings. All three produced both teams scoring, earning draws at Dinamo Zagreb and Man City but upsetting Atalanta with a 2-1 victory at the San Siro.
If 2019-20 taught us anything then it was that this side can compete with some of Europe’s top teams. Particularly on their travels where, when excluding games played on neutral territory, they are now unbeaten in five (W2 D3). Their start to 2020-21 hasn’t exactly gone smoothly, though, with three wins in six Ukrainian Premier League matches so far and none at all in three as the visiting side.
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Real Madrid Vs Shakhtar Donetsk Betting Advice
In two previous head-to-head encounters, both played during the 2015-16 group stage, it was Real Madrid who clinched the spoils both times, doing so by an aggregate of 8-3. On that evidence, it makes perfect sense for the Spanish side to be such command favourites on Wednesday. However, this is also near enough the exact same team which picked up one win in three at home in last season’s group stage.
Real Madrid vs Shakhtar Donetsk – Key Facts
- In 2019-20, Real Madrid managed only one win across their four home outings in this competition (W1 D2 L1) – a 6-0 drubbing of a Galatasaray side which finished bottom of the group.
- In that same season Shakhtar Donetsk negotiated a group comprising Atalanta and Man City without incurring a single away loss (W1 D2), beating the former 2-1 in Italy.
- Two previous head-to-head meetings, both in this competition, produced wins both times for Real Madrid who scored four goals in each encounter.
Shakhtar Donetsk went unbeaten on the road in their group last term, even avoiding defeat in England against Man City – a result arguably more impressive than their 2-1 victory in Italy over Atalanta. Therefore the visitors command our respect. Both teams scored in all three of the Ukrainian’s away group games, and occurred twice in Madrid for Real, so that bet instantly stands out here.
Best Betting Odds – Real Madrid Vs Shakhtar Donetsk
Real Madrid – 2/7 (Betway)
Draw – 5/1 (888Sport)
Shakhtar Donetsk – 10/1 (Betfair)
