Shamrock Rovers take on the visitors Shakhtar Donetsk in the round 4 match of UEFA Conference League – League Phase. The match will be played on Thursday, November 27th at Tallaght Stadium (Dublin).
Shamrock Rovers are now focused solely on this competition. The Hoops dominated from 2020 to 2023, winning the title year after year without letting anyone get close. Last season, however, was a disappointment. Even so, Stephen Bradley kept his job — a position he has held since 2016. He justified that trust by reclaiming the Premiership title, collecting 66 points in 36 matches, three more than Derry City. The team also continued to perform well in the Europa Conference League, having reached the play-offs in the previous campaign. This time the Irish side progressed through qualifying past Molde, St Joseph’s, Balkani, and even Portuguese side Santa Clara (2–1 away, 0–0 at home). But the main round began poorly, with defeats to Sparta Prague (1–4 away) and Celje at home. Only in November did they finally pick up a point with a 1–1 draw against AEK, salvaged by a penalty in the 90th minute. Their overall form suggests they remain competitive, yet their inconsistency in the group stage raises questions about their ability to handle stronger opponents.
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Shakhtar Donetsk won the Ukrainian Cup last season but, more importantly, finished outside the top two in the UPL for the first time in a quarter of a century. The departure of Pušić was inevitable, and Arda Turan took charge. His start has also been mixed. They suffered a cup elimination to Dynamo Kyiv and fell short in the Europa League, where after beating Ilves and Beşiktaş, they lost to Panathinaikos on penalties following two goalless draws. On the other hand, they beat Dynamo in the league’s “Clasico” and have since pulled clear in the UPL standings. It is increasingly clear that the Turkish coach prioritises the domestic title — and, with it, a return to Champions League qualifying next summer. In the Conference League they mostly give minutes to reserves and newly signed Brazilian youngsters. As a result, they scraped past Servette in qualifying thanks to an extra-time goal, and although they beat Aberdeen 3–2 and Breidablik 2–0, they still lost 1–2 in their nominal home match against Legia. Their approach shows depth in the squad, but also the lack of focus that sometimes leads to unpredictable results.
This will be the first-ever meeting between the clubs. The visitors are still the stronger side. The bet is Shakhtar -1.0 handicap.
Prediction for the match: Shakhtar to win with -1.0 handicap.
