Shakhtar Donetsk Vs AS Roma
Shakhtar Donetsk Vs AS Roma Thursday 18th March 2021 – 17:55
UEFA Europa League, Round of 16
Pick: Both Teams NOT to Score
Odds: 7/5
Bookmaker: BetVictor
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 16th March 2021)
Preview: Goals from club captain Lorenzo Pellegrini, Stephan El Shaarawy and Gianluca Mancini earned Roma a 3-0 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk when these sides contested an ultimately one-sided first-leg in Italy. Can last season’s beaten semi-finalists stage a fightback in Kiev?
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Table of Contents
Shakhtar Donetsk – Ukranians finding life tough at home in Europe?
A semi-finalist in this competition last season. Shakhtar Donetsk stand on the brink after what their manager described as an ‘unfair’ result from the first leg. The statistics from that clash in Italy told a different story, however, the Ukrainians creating only one big chance all game – that falling to Junior Moraes whilst the score was still only 1-0 – as they comfortably lost the xG battle (ROM 2.33 – 0.94 SHK).
That a 17th defeat in their 28th match up (W7 D4) versus Italian opposition, failing to even score in six of the last seven such fixtures. Bearing in mind a minimum of three goals are required in Kiev on Thursday, their chances of turning this tie around appear bleak. Meanwhile, goals in general could be scarce on the night: none of their past eleven competitive games seen both teams find the back of the net.
Shakhtar have only failed to score in 3 of 14 league and European home games (W9 D3 L2) this term. Two coming in the group stage of the Champions League, though: one a 0-0 draw with Roma’s Serie A rivals, Inter Milan, the other a chastening 6-0 defeat to Borussia Monchengladbach. While in the Europa League Round of 32, Luis Castro’s men only shaded their home leg with Maccabi Tel Aviv 1-0 (3-0 agg).
Roma – Can Romans defend commanding lead?
Former Shakhtar Donetsk head coach Paulo Fonseca praised the spirit of his ‘tired’ team following their rousing 3-0 win in Italy seven days earlier. Perhaps those endeavours took their toll on them at Stadio Ennio Tardini last Sunday, the Giallorossi succumbing 2-0 on the road at second-bottom Parma to see their three-match winning sequence brought to a shuddering yet deserved halt (xG: PAR 2.08 – 1.67 ROM).
That reversal in fortunes marked only a second competitive defeat in their last nine matches (W6 D1), but continued a worrying trend away from home. Roma have now been beaten on six of their previous eleven away assignments in all competitions (W4 D1), half of those by a three-goal margin. Suggesting this tie is anything but a foregone conclusion, particularly when assessing their travails in Europe.
Prior to a 2-0 victory in Portugal in the previous round, dispatching Braga 5-1 on aggregate, Roma had gone seven consecutive away matches in the knockout rounds of UEFA club competition without winning (D1 L6). Not that these woes were evident earlier in the tournament. The Italians having recorded wins at Young Boys and CFR Cluj en route to topping Group A with a couple games to spare.
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Shakhtar Donetsk Vs Roma Betting Advice
Many are assuming this tie is done, which is certainly how the bookmaker see it (Shakhtar are 25/1 with Bet Victor in the To Qualify market, Roma 1/200). Aside from a crazy five minutes in Rome seven days ago, there was very little to split them, though the Ukrainians could well come to rue the lack of an away goal. Especially as this season Roma are yet to fire a blank on the road in Europe, averaging 1.75 goals.
Shakhtar Donetsk Vs AS Roma – Key Facts:
- In their seventh meeting seven days ago, it was Roma who emerged victorious for a third time following a 3-0 victory in Italy. Shakhtar won the other four encounters however, including all three in Ukraine.
- Shakhtar Donetsk have now failed to score in six of their last seven games when facing sides from Italy’s Serie A, including all three such fixtures this season.
- Roma had gone seven successive away European matches without a win (D1 L6) in the knockout rounds prior to defeating Braga 2-0 in Portugal in the Round of 32.
As already mentioned, there really wasn’t much to choose between them first time around, other than some clinical second-half finishing/lapses in concentration. I’d be inclined to avoid Roma, who don’t need to win and possess a rotten record in knockout football as the away side anyway. Instead, oppose goals. Shakhtar’s last 11 games seen Both Teams to Score not oblige, as was the case in five of Roma’s last six away.
Best Betting Odds – Shakhtar Donetsk Vs AS Roma
Shakhtar Donetsk – 15/8 (Betway)
Draw – 13/5 (BetVictor)
AS Roma – 7/5 (Betfair)
