Real Madrid vs Shakhtar Donetsk prediction: EUROPE: Champions League – Group Stage betting tips on match 2022-10-04 19:00.
Real Madrid’s perfect start to the season in all competitions (W9) ended when they drew 1-1 with Osasuna on Sunday, after which manager Carlo Ancelotti refused to take the easy option and blame the international break. “We were on a great run and now we’ll try to start another great run,” he said after watching his side fail to break down a side reduced to ten men late on.
Resuming UEFA Champions League (UCL) action (W2) gives them a chance to start another winning sequence, but they’ll need to do so without injured goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who faces a spell on the sidelines with back problems. Now 137 games since a stopper other than him produced a shutout for Madrid, he’s been key to them keeping three consecutive UCL clean sheets (W3).
Shakhtar Donetsk still top the Ukrainian Premier League after Saturday’s 6-1 hammering of Metalist Kharkiv, and after taking four points from their first two UCL matches of the season (W1, D1), they travel to the Bernabéu in good form. Although unbeaten in competitive fixtures since November 2021, taking on the reigning UCL champions on their own patch will be their sternest test for a while.
They know what to expect though as this will be their third trip to Madrid in as many seasons with them sharing the honours by winning 3-2 in 2020/21 before going down 2-1 last term. They lost all three UCL away games last season, conceding twice in each game, so beating RB Leipzig 4-1 on matchday one would have come as a huge relief to all at the club.
Players to watch: Karim Benzema scored both goals in this H2H last term, with nine of his 15 UCL strikes last season coming after the hour-mark. Also dangerous late on is Lassina Traoré, who scored after the 70th minute in two of Shakhtar’s last two away fixtures.
Hot stat: Shakhtar have earned just three corners during their two UCL games this term.