UEFA Champions League: Shakhtar Donetsk vs Real Madrid preview

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November 24th, 2015
Back UEFA Champions League: Shakhtar Donetsk vs Real Madrid preview

Real Madrid will be looking to regain some confidence after the defeat in El Clasico when they visit Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday. Cristiano Ronaldo and company are already sure of reaching the last sixteen, but they are yet to secure top spot in Group A. The only previous meeting between the two sides was earlier this season, when Real Madrid comfortably won 4-0. Ronaldo score a hat-trick then, while Karim Benzema also found the back of the net.

Shakhtar had a terrible start to their Champions League campaign as they lost three consecutive matches but they recovered with a 4-0 demolition job of Malmo last time out. They are still in with a chance to qualify but they would need two wins out of the last two matches. Mircea Lucescu's men had failed to score in the first three group matches and conceded no less than eight goals, including four against Real Madrid in the reverse fixture. They are doing well in the domestic league though, they are top of the table and have not lost at home since September. Captain Darijo Srna is suspended for the match along with defender Oleksandr Kucher. Vitali Vitsenets is unavailable through injury.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez chose to support head coach Rafael Benitez after Saturday's 4-0 home defeat against Barcelona, but any other defeats might see that relationship change. They are currently six points behind Barcelona in the Primera Liga, but they can secure top spot in Champions League Group A if they win at Shakhtar. So far Real Madrid defeated the group's smaller teams, Shakhtar and Malmo, drew at Paris Saint-Germain and then beat them 1-0 in Spain. Sergio Ramos and Marcelo will be unavailable through injury.

Probable line-ups:

Shakhtar: Pyatov - Shevchuk, Rakitskiy, Ordets, Azevedo - Fred, Stepanenko - Marlos, Teixeira, Bernard - Gladkiy

Real Madrid: Navas - Carvajal, Pepe, Varane, Danilo - Kroos, Modric - James, Bale, Ronaldo - Benzema

My prediction: Real Madrid to win 2-1.

Here are the odds for the match at Bet365:

Shakhtar win - 4.00 Draw - 3.80 Real Madrid win - 1.95

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