Shakhtar Donetsk vs Atalanta Predictions & Betting Odds – 11th December 2019

Shakhtar Donetsk vs Atalanta Betting Tips – UEFA Champions League, 11th December 5.55pm

Shakhtar are holding down second place in Group C of the UEFA Champions League. That is what they are defending as they are only a point ahead of Dinamo Zagreb and two ahead of Atlanta. The win then is the only thing that guarantees progress. Atalanta need a win and help from elsewhere. Read our predictions for Shakhtar Donetsk vs Atalanta.

Shakhtar Donetsk vs Atalanta Betting Odds*

Shakhtar Donetsk 31/20
Draw 13/5
Atalanta 13/8

UEFA Champions League Betting at Bet365

Shakhtar Donetsk vs Atalanta Live Stats & Betting Odds

Shakhtar Donetsk News and Form – Can Shakhtar hold on to second?

Ukrainian team Shakhtar Donetsk are sat on six points in the group from a W1 D3 L1 record. They have to match whatever it is that Dinamo Zagreb get against Man City on the night, to progress. There’s a fascinating situation here though, because Shakhtar’s opponents on the night, Atalanta, can also progress with a win. The Pitmen have drawn their last three games in the group and in total have claimed a win in just two of their last 12 UEFA Champions League matches (D6 L4). They are winless in six at home.

But they have suffered only one loss in their last 20 home games in European action, despite not having taken a clean sheet in any of their last 11. The Pitmen are W6 L5 at home against Italian opposition, winning their last two such fixtures. They were both 2-1 success incidentally. A draw would be enough for Shakhtar to get through, only if Dinamo failed to beat Manchester City in the other game. When they went to Italy earlier in the campaign, they had to fight back from being a goal down to get the victory.

Shakhtar Donetsk vs Atalanta Head to Head

The first-ever meeting ended in a 2-1 win for Shakhtar on Matchday Two

 

 

Atalanta News and Form – Can Atalanta’s defence hold up against Shakhtar?

Serie A side Atalanta are bottom of the group and the only way that they have a chance of progressing is if they win this. So if the Italians produce the win they would also need Dinamo to not beat Manchester City on the night. So basically, it looks as if a win would be enough for the Italians. They have had a rough time of things on the road in the group stage, though, as they lost 4-0 at Dinamo Zagreb and then 5-1 at Manchester City.

Their four points have been earned in their last two games, a 1-1 home draw with Man City and then a 2-0 revenge success over Dinamo Zagreb. So they have managed to keep their qualification hopes alive. Their victory over Zagreb snapped a six-match winless streak of European form that they had been on (D3 L3). Before the start of this campaign, Atalanta had been undefeated in seven European games. It’s been a rough ride for them this season. They have only lost four of their last 19 European fixtures though to be fair (W8 D7). They have lost four of their last 13 European away games and 3 of their last 9 (W3 D3).

Shakhtar Donetsk vs Atalanta Tips & Odds

Home win at 31/20
Over 2.5 goals at 14/7

* (Betting Odds were taken from bet365 on December 9th, 2019 at 1:12 p.m.)

Shakhtar Donetsk vs Atalanta Predictions

Shakhtar to win: This is a tough game to call. Atalanta have had a rough ride out on the road in this group. Shakhtar did a superb job of fighting back for a win in Italy and back on home soil, the Pitmen may just be able to nick it by a one-goal margin.