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THE FACTS
When does Barcelona vs Shakhtar Donetsk take place and what time does it start?Barcelona vs Shakhtar Donetsk will take place on Wednesday, October 25, 2023 – 17:45 (United Kingdom)
Where can I get tickets with prices for Barcelona vs Shakhtar Donetsk?Visit the club’s official online page for the latest information on priced tickets
What channel is Barcelona vs Shakhtar Donetsk on in the UK?Barcelona vs Shakhtar Donetsk will be broadcast on TNT Sports in the UK
Where can I stream Barcelona vs Shakhtar Donetsk in the UK?Barcelona vs Shakhtar Donetsk can be streamed on Discovery
THE AUDIT
BARCELONA
The organisational phase has not been easy for Barcelona so far, but six problems out of six are all they are concerned about. After beating Antwerp 5-0, Xavi and his team were involved in a showdown with Porto in Portugal. which saw the champion of Spain reduced to ten men behind. But that didn’t stop them from taking all three thanks to a single goal from Ferran Torres.
Since then, Barcelona have been forced to come back from two goals down to pick up a point in Granada, before returning to winning tactics after the break abroad, beating Athletic Club by a goal to nil. It’s a fairytale moment for the 17-year-old striker Marc Guiu, who scored the winning goal on his senior debut for Barça.
SHAKHTAR DONETSK
Despite losing 3-1 to Porto in the first round of the Champions League, Shakhtar Donetsk returned to contention for Group H qualification for the round of 16 with a 3-2 win over Antwerp. This happened despite Shakhtar losing two goals. after only 34 minutes in Belgium.
Since then, the Ukrainian champions have broken tactics with head coach Patrick van Leeuwen and his team after just 3 months in charge. Croatia’s Darijo Srna has been appointed to update him on an interim basis, following a 3-0 win over LNZ at the weekend. Now they are facing one of the true giants of European football that is slowly recovering.
TEAM NEWS
BARCELONA
Barcelona will be without several key players for this match as injuries begin to pile up within their squad. Frenkie De Jong, Jules Koude, Raphinha and Sergi Roberto are absent. Star striker Robert Lewandowski is also absent after suffering an injury. midfielder Gavi was sent off in that match and is suspended here.
EXPECTED XI (4-3-3): Ter Stegen: Cancelo, Araujo, Christensen, Balde; Fermín López, Romeu, Gündogan; Yamal, Torres, João Félix
NOT AVAILABLE: GAVI (SUSPENDED), De Jong (injured), Kounde (injured), Lewandowski (injured), Raphinha (injured), Sergi Roberto (injured)
QUESTIONABLE: Pedri (Fitness)
SHAKHTAR DONETSK
Centre-back Mykola Matviyenko faces a race against time to improve his fitness for Barcelona, with an Achilles tendon injury that could rule him out. With that in mind, Valeriy Bondar and Yaroslav Rakitskyi could team up in central defence, with the latter locating Shakhtar’s net in Antwerp.
EXPECTED XI (4-3-3): Riznyk; Konoplia, Bondar, Rakitskiy, Azarov; Bondarenko, Stepanenko, Sudakov; Zubkov, Sikan, Newerton
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE: Matviyenko (injured)
PROGNOSIS
Shakhtar Donetsk face a daunting task, awaiting a long night without the ball as Barcelona look to impose their notoriously controlling taste for play. Despite being beaten in all competitions so far this season, Barca’s home record is absolutely formidable, winning six games. out of six, keeping a blank sheet in five of them and scoring 17 goals himself. Despite the players they lack, Barcelona’s strength in intensity, combined with their ruthless power and class, allows them to overwhelm Shakhtar’s backline for 90 minutes. and in the end, succeed with at least two transparent objectives.
TIP: BARCELONA WILL WIN WITH -1 HANDICAP