Shakhtar Donetsk hosts Real Madrid in round 5 of the Champions League group stage. The match will be played on Tuesday, December 1st at NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium (Kyiv)
The Ukrainian club gained a spectacular victory over the Whites in Madrid (3:2), and then it offered a competitive battle to Inter in the home arena (0:0). As for the confrontation with Borussia, Castro's players did not look like outsiders, but they were destroyed at home (0:6) and in Monchengladbach (0:4). Shakhtar also has certain problems in the national championship (it lags three points behind the leading Dynamo). The massive coronavirus epidemic became a serious problem for Shakhtar, and it forced the coaching staff to look for emergency personnel solutions. Now experienced performers are gradually returning to the lineup, but they need a recovery period after an illness. Let's see if the club can make a real sensation in Kyiv.
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Before the fourth round, the situation for Zidane's men was not the best. However, Real Madrid was lucky in Milan because Vidal picked up an early red card, and the Whites got an obvious advantage. The Spanish grandee gained a 2:0 victory and took a confident second position in the quartet. In the upcoming game, the team can guarantee itself promotion to the next stage if it beats the opponents. Real Madrid's squad is far from optimal. Ramos and Odriozola won’t help in defense, Valverde won’t appear in midfield, and Benzema and Jovic won’t appear at the helm. Zidane has to look for truly original replacements for these personnel losses. Nacho looked good in recent games, and Odegaard and Vasquez showed themselves well. However, Diaz, Hazard, and Mendy are still disappointing with their actions on the football field.
Both clubs will play to win, as the playoffs and significant financial revenues are at stake. In terms of class, level, and reputation in European football, Real Madrid is two heads higher than its rivals from Ukraine. Shakhtar will try to use counterattacks. Castro's men will have to solve a serious problem with the gap between the defense and midfield lines. Despite the result of the first match, Madrid must gain a convincing victory.
Prediction for the match: Real Madrid to win with -1.0 handicap
