Shakhtar Donetsk vs Lech Poznan – News and Probable Lineups

On Thursday, Shakhtar Donetsk and Lech Poznan will meet for the second leg of their round-of-16 tie in Krakow, with both teams vying for a spot in the Conference League quarter-finals.

Lech Poznan will play at home, given Shakhtar’s inability to host matches in Ukraine, having a significant challenge ahead after suffering a 3-1 defeat in the first leg last week.

Match overview

Shakhtar Donetsk will make their return to Conference League play on Thursday, focused on finishing the job in their round-of-16 clash after gaining a substantial advantage in the first leg.

The Ukrainian powerhouse navigated through to this stage without difficulty, bypassing the playoff round thanks to a sixth-place league finish in Europe’s tertiary competition, collecting four wins and 13 points in their six games.

The Hirnyky secured their place in the knockout stage with back-to-back victories over Shamrock Rovers and Hamrun Spartans, alongside a draw against HNK Rijeka. In the first knockout match last week, they took control with a 3-1 away victory, having led 2-0 through goals from Marlon Gomes and Newerton, before conceding one and adding another through Isaque.

Arda Turan’s squad returned to domestic play over the weekend, achieving their seventh consecutive win across all competitions with a 1-0 victory against Metalist 1925, thanks to a goal from Pedrinho, keeping them first in Ukraine’s top league with 47 points from 20 matches.

As they head back to Poland for the home leg, Shakhtar Donetsk will be focused on advancing in their first knockout tie of the Conference League season to secure their quarter-final spot.

For their part, the visitors remain in Poland aiming to erase the deficit from the previous week’s unsuccessful home round-of-16 leg.

Lech Poznan faced a more challenging route to this point in the Conference League, finishing 11th in the league phase with 11 points from six matches and having navigated a two-legged playoff tie that saw them secure a 3-0 win against KuPS.

Shakhtar Donetsk then became their hurdle, and the Kolejorz were unable to capitalize on their home advantage in the first leg, with Mikael Ishak’s goal in the 70th minute being the only silver lining in a 3-1 loss.

This resulted in three consecutive defeats across all competitions for Niels Frederiksen’s team, but they bounced back with a win over the weekend, defeating Zaglebie Lunin 1-0 with another goal from Ishak, leveling them with the hosts at the top of the Polish Ekstraklasa as they defend their title.

With renewed confidence following that victory, Lech Poznan will seek to defy the odds and turn the tables in this tie on Thursday to secure their place in the quarter-finals.

Team News

Shakhtar Donetsk will be making a substitution in their starting XI from last week’s first leg, as defender Valeriy Bondar is suspended after receiving a third yellow card of the Conference League campaign.

Dmytro Kryskiv and Marlon Gomes are also injury concerns after being forced to leave the field during the match against Lech Poznan, likely joining Mykola Matviyenko in the treatment room.

Kaua Elias and Lassina Traore will compete for the forward position, with Elias leading the team this season with 11 goals.

On the other hand, Lech Poznan have no suspensions for Thursday, but they will be without Kornel Lisman, Alex Douglas, Radoslaw Murawski, and Daniel Hakans due to ongoing injuries.

Mikael Ishak continues to be their key player in attack, having scored in the last two matches, bringing his season tally to 26 goals in 40 appearances in all competitions, including 12 goals in 14 continental matches.

Patrik Walemark could partner with him in a two-man frontline, supported by Luis Palma as they attempt to close the gap in this tie.

Shakhtar Donetsk probable starting XI:

Riznyk; Tobias, Marlon, Azarovi, Henrique; Ocheretko, Pedrinho, Nazaryna; Isaac, Elias, Newerton

Lech Poznan probable starting XI:

Mrozek; Pereira, Monka, Milic, Moutinho; Rodriguez, Cozubal; Bengtsson, Palma; Walemark, Isaac

While Shakhtar Donetsk may not have the advantage of playing at home in a two-legged tie, they demonstrated their capability to overcome Lech Poznan in Poland last week.

Given that their opponents will have to pursue the game and overturn the deficit, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Ukrainian side capitalize again and advance on aggregate.