Shakhtar Donetsk take on the visitors Rijeka in the round 6 match of UEFA Conference League – League Phase. The match will be played on Thursday, December 18th at Stadion Miejski im. Henryka Reymana (Kraków).
Shakhtar Donetsk did not just finish below their eternal rivals Dynamo last season, they ended up only third, behind Oleksandriya. Even though they beat the Kyiv side in the cup final, Pushic’s fate was obvious. He was replaced by Arda Turan, who started well with wins over Ilves and even Besiktas in the Europa League qualifiers. Later, however, they were eliminated on penalties by Panathinaikos. After dropping into the Conference League, Shakhtar progressed past Servette in dramatic fashion: after a draw they conceded first, managed to equalize in regular time, and then secured victory in extra time. After that, the Miners focused mainly on domestic competition, where they managed to lose to Dynamo in the cup but, more importantly, pulled clear in the Premier League. European matches are being used as a testing ground, and this approach has worked reasonably well. Yes, they lost to Legia in what was effectively an away game, but they defeated Aberdeen, Breidablik, and Shamrock Rovers. In December, against Hamrun Spartans, after a sluggish start they finished with a confident 2–0 win. Overall, Shakhtar’s recent European results show balance between experimentation and efficiency. Their form across competitions suggests they are comfortable controlling games and converting chances when needed.
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Rijeka are not impressive at the moment. The Whites pleasantly surprised half a year ago by becoming champions for only the second time in their history, having previously broken Dinamo Zagreb’s dominance back in 2017. Now, however, the loss of the title looks obvious, as in the domestic league they are averaging just over one point per round. On the international stage, the Croatians have also failed to impress. In the Champions League, they were eliminated by their very first opponent, Ludogorets. They did not last long in the Europa League either: after getting past Shelbourne, they then lost to PAOK, despite winning the first home leg 1–0. Even in the Conference League, they managed to beat only Sparta Prague, while losing to Noah and drawing with Lincoln Red Imps and AEK Larnaca. Still, in the previous round against Celje, they recorded a convincing 3–0 victory. Despite that result, their overall form remains inconsistent. Away from home in particular, Rijeka have struggled to maintain intensity and collect points regularly.
The clubs have not met before. The Orange-Blacks are considered favorites. However, with the outcome largely settled, we are backing over 2.5 total goals.
Prediction for the match: Over 2.5 scored goals.
