Predictions Champions League - Shakhtar Donetsk vs Atalanta BC

Champions League - Shakhtar Donetsk vs Atalanta BC
Match Time: 03-10-2024 00:45 Thursday (GMT+7)
Football Livescore | Match Prediction & Tips
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Making an eighth successive appearance in the Champions League proper, Shakhtar Donetsk kicked off their latest campaign with a goalless stalemate in Bologna, meaning they have won only eight of their last 37 matches in Europe's top club competition.

Having just missed out on the knockout rounds last term after losing on the final matchday, they have been eliminated at the group stage for six seasons on the spin, but their stated aim for this year is to at least make the playoffs.

Head coach Marino Pusic was appointed in October, before leading Shakhtar to their 15th Ukrainian Premier League title and then winning the cup to complete a ninth domestic double, but his team are yet to manage back-to-back wins this season.

Ahead of this week's trip to Germany, where they will host their 'home' fixtures due to the ongoing war in their homeland, the Pitmen conceded a late equaliser to drop two points against Veres Rivne in a 1-1 draw on Friday.

Either side of their visit to Stadio Dall'Ara, they had scored nine goals in two league wins - beating Karpaty Lviv 5-2 and Obolon Kyiv 4-0 - but they only occupy fourth place in the table, six points shy of leaders Dynamo Kyiv.

Precedent will not be on Shakhtar's side this week, as they have won just eight of their last 27 European home games - no doubt, partly due to their long absence from Donetsk - and are also without a win in nine against Italian opposition.

In fact, their last such victory was a 2-1 success over Atalanta during the 2019 Champions League group stage, which spoiled La Dea's first ever home game in the competition.

Gian Piero Gasperini's side would ultimately have the last laugh on that occasion, qualifying for the last 16 at Shakhtar's expense by winning 3-0 in Ukraine on the final matchday.

Of course, 'Gasp' is still in charge of the Bergamo club, whom he led to Europa League glory last season, and they are back in the Champions League for a fourth time - each campaign coming since 2019.

In their first fixture this year, the Nerazzurri were forced to settle for a 0-0 draw at home to Arsenal, as Mateo Retegui saw a second-half penalty saved before his follow-up header was spectacularly clawed away by David Raya.

In isolation, that result was quite commendable, but Atalanta have now won just once in their last nine matches at Europe's top level - and this season they have already lost to Torino, Inter Milan and Como on the domestic front.

Chronically inconsistent, a 90th-minute equaliser from substitute Lazar Samardzic was required to rescue a 1-1 draw against 10-man Bologna at the weekend, leaving them 11th in the Serie A standings.

Furthermore, Gasperini's new-look side - bolstered by a number of summer recruits - have conceded 12 goals in their first six league matches, having started the season with a 2-0 loss to Real Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup.

Prediction:  Shakhtar Donetsk 1-1 Atalanta BC