Shakhtar Donetsk - FC Porto predictions and free betting tips [19/09/2023]

On Tuesday, Shakhtar will host Porto in the framework of the 1st round of the Champions League group stage on neutral ground in Hamburg at the Volksparkstadion. 

Probable Line-ups

Shakhtar: Riznyk; Konoplya, Kozik, Rakitskyi, Azarovi; Stepanenko, Zubkov, Sudakov; Kryskiv, Kashchuk, Sikan.
Porto: Costa; Mario, Cardoso, Pepe, Wendell; Gonzalez, Eustaquio; Pepe, Franco, Martinez; Taremi.

Shakhtar

Shakhtar in the national championship has collected 17 points in 7 rounds; the team looks head and shoulders above many opponents despite the departure of foreign players. In the previous round, the "Miners" met with "Obolon" and achieved a 1:0 victory. Head coach Patrick van Leuven used a 4-2-3-1 formation. Despite being a home match, the Ukrainians will be more defensive. The coach gave a few interviews before the start of the Champions League, stating that he does not consider his players as underdogs and intends to continue playing their brand of football. The team boasts a large number of young inexperienced players, and it will also be challenging to adapt to the pace of the Champions League after national championship matches.

Porto

Porto has proven over two decades that the budget still doesn't give an advantage to any team. The club consistently plays in the play-off, performing strongly in the national championship. After 5 played rounds in the Primeira Liga, the "Dragons" have collected 13 points, sharing the top spot with "Boavista" and "Sporting". In the previous round, they won over "Estrela Amadora" 1:0. Head coach Conceicao uses a 4-2-3-1 formation more this year. With a lot of injured players, each match becomes a real trial for the Portuguese collective. Notably, Iranian forward Taremi, one of the team leaders, has finally scored for the club.

Head-to-Head Record

The opponents have had 6 matches between them, with Shakhtar not achieving a single victory while suffering 3 losses. The last time they met was during the Champions League group stage in 2014, where both matches ended in a draw - 1:1 and 2:2.

Shakhtar vs Porto Match Prediction

Porto, season after season, show that they are ready to fight on the road against Eastern European clubs effectively. They can remember victories over Russian teams. In Germany, the Portuguese may calmly secure the first three points and become the leaders of their group.

Prediction for Total Goals Scored

Last season, Shakhtar managed to surprise football Europe and pour troubles on their opponents despite having personnel changes not for the better. However, I do not believe in the ability of the team from Ukraine to put up respectable resistance – while the name remains, the class of the players has dropped significantly. I bet on a high number of goals scored, with even a possible rout from the guests.