Aberdeen vs Shakhtar Donetsk prediction: EUROPE: Conference League – League phase betting tips on match 2025-10-01 19:00.
[p]A struggling Aberdeen need to rip up the form book ahead of a visit from Shakhtar Donetsk in their UEFA Conference League season opener. [/p]
[p]Match News and Current Form[/p]
[p]Not since the days of Alex Ferguson in the early 1983 have Aberdeen won European silverware, and they will certainly have their work cut out replicating that success this season. Jimmy Thelin’s side are still awaiting a first goal and victory of their Scottish Premiership campaign after losing 2-0 at Motherwell last Saturday. That result forms part of a seven-game winless run in all competitions (D2, L5), and having lost their last three matches, the Dons might need to lean on the experience of their last European campaign in 2023/24, when they beat Eintracht Frankfurt at home in the Conference League. [/p]
[p]Shakhtar’s form might be another reason to worry for the hosts, with the Ukrainian Premier League leaders smashing Rukh Lviv 4-0 at the weekend. On an eight-game unbeaten sequence coming into this match (W6, D2), Shakhtar are experienced in Europe, having reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa League (UEL) twice in the last decade, with seasoned ex-pro and now head coach Arda Turan – understandably confident in the build-up to this encounter at Pittodrie – no doubt hoping that their quality will prove the difference here. [/p]
[p]Head-to-Head History[/p]
[p]This is a first ever match-up between the sides, with Abderdeen having drawn their only two previous games against Ukrainian opposition. [/p]
[p]Hot Stats and Streaks[/p]
[p]Aberdeen have not yet led at half-time against top-flight opposition this season.[/p]
[p]Aberdeen are without a home win in six games across all competitions (D2, L4). [/p]
[p]Shakhtar have registered three straight clean-sheet victories coming into this fixture. [/p]
[p]The Ukrainians have scored 2+ goals in four of their last six away outings. [/p]
[p]Key Players to Watch and Missing Players[/p]
[p]Kevin Nisbet has not yet scored and has picked up two bookings since joining Aberdeen permanently from Millwall over the summer, while last season, both teams found the net in eight of his final ten goalscoring appearances. Shakhtar attacker Pedrinho by contrast got two goals at the weekend, as well as an assist in their last outing in Europe. [/p]
[p]Both sides are in good shape, but Aberdeen will be without the suspended Alexander Jensen for this fixture after he received a red card in their UEL play-off second leg against FCSB in August. [/p]
[p]For all the latest team news, please check the Flashscore match centre.[/p]
[p]Betting Analysis[/p]
[p]Expect another menacing away performance here. Back Shakhtar to win accompanied by a clean sheet. [/p]
[p][i]Author: Luke Bridle[/i][/p]