Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Zenit St. Petersburg – UEFA Champions League preview
Shakhtar Donetsk will face Zenit St. Petersburg in the group stages of UEFA Champions League at Donbass Arena on Wednesday 19, 2011.
The Ukrainian Premier League champions are yet to win a group stage match and are at the bottom while the Meshki are at the second spot on the group table. Zenit recently won 3-1 against the defending UEFA Europa League champions, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/FC-Porto-c39186, while the Miners
drew 1-1 against Apoel FC.
The Moles are playing the crunch European tie at home and would be considering this clash as an opportunity to claim much needed three points in the group table of the Champions League.
Shakhtar Donetsk
Going into this crunch Champions League encounter, the Ukrainian Cup winners have not done enough to meet the expectations. Having lost the opening day group stage match 2-1 against FC Porto, the Miners recovered well from the defeat and managed to claim
a point against FC Apoel.
Shakhtar manager, Mircea Lucescu, will now be hoping to claim a win hoping to get a decent place on the group table.
Zenit St. Petersburg
Having claimed a 0-0 draw against Dynamo Moscow in the Russian Premier League, Zenit are in desperate need to alter the situation under the head coach, Luciano Spalletti.
Spalletti have assured the fans of progressing to the knock-out stages of the cup tournament and demanded an attacking and entertaining display from his side.
In their last two group stage meetings, the Meshki have conceded 3 goals while scoring 4 themselves. Spalletti, who is known for his offensive approach, will be hoping to win the upcoming Champions League tie keeping in mind that Zenit are left with only
three league matches in the ongoing season.
Team news
Zenit are currently uncertain over the availability of players fighting for their fitness after sustaining respective injuries.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Aleksandr-Anyukov-c4549, are set to miss this fixture. The former Dynamo Moscow striker is facing health problems while Anyukov sustained an injury while playing against the Dinamiki. Their absence will have a deep impact
on the team moral.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Danny-c10193 Miguel, Victor Fayzulin and Domenico Criscito will pass a late fitness test as the trio played entire 90 minutes, despite news suggesting otherwise, in the crunch home league tie against Dynamo Moscow.
Expected Zenit Line-up:
Viacheslav Malafeev; http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Aleksandr-Bukharov-c4555.
Mircea Lucescu would be hoping for arrival of the Brazilian midfielder and the club vice-captain, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Fernandinho-c13605, as the former Atletico Paranaense player has missed the training session.
The former http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Inter-c39567 Milan manager would have a selection headache ahead of the mouth-watering encounter and he has himself admitted that no one from his squad is currently injured.
Expected Shakhtar Donetsk Line-up:
Olexandr Rybka - Tomáš Hübschman, Olexandr Kucher, Jadson, Luiz Adriano, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Darijo-Srna-c10266 and Olexandr Chyzhov.
Key players
Shakhtar need to tightly mark Roman Shirokov, as the Russian national is also looking very sharp. The former Rubin Kazan player managed to score two goals against FC Porto in the Champions League.
For Miners, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Luiz-Adriano-c22841 is the player to watch out for. The attack minded player has already opened his scoring account by scoring a goal against the Dragons.
Predictions
Shakhtar Donetsk 2-2 Zenit St Petersburg
Tags: