Shakhtar Donetsk vs Sporting Lisbon – News and Probable Lineups

Shakhtar Donetsk and Sporting Lisbon are set to clash at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday evening, as both teams seek to rebound from their first losses of the 2026-27 Champions League season. The Ukrainian club is temporarily playing its home matches at this West London venue due to the ongoing situation in Ucrânia.

With just two points separating them in the group standings, the Portuguese team is currently in 12th place with six points, while Shakhtar sits five spots lower after hosting their European encounters at the same stadium.

Match overview

Shakhtar have started strongly in their domestic league, topping the Ukrainian Premier League with 28 points after 11 matches, although their European performances have been less impressive.

Arda Turan’s squad has gathered four points from their initial three group-stage matches, beginning with a 1-1 draw against PSV Eindhoven, followed by a 3-1 win over AEK Athens, but they faced a loss to Inter de Milão, who managed to hold on despite being reduced to 10 men.

On the domestic front, the Ukrainian champions have rebounded well, registering a commanding win in the Ukrainian Cup against Dynamo Kyiv, a draw with Zorya Luhansk, and a 2-0 league victory against Obolon, with Alisson Santana playing a key role in the latter match.

Both of the goals in their latest league game were netted after the 70th minute. However, Turan will aim for a quicker start this time, particularly considering that Shakhtar has emerged victorious in 18 of their last 24 Champions League home matches when leading at halftime (D4, L1).

Notably, the Miners face a challenging historical record, having lost both past encounters against their upcoming opponents, both ending in 1-0 defeats during the group stage of the 2008-09 Champions League.

Conversely, Sporting Lisbon had a more successful start to their Champions League journey, claiming victories in their first two fixtures against Galatasaray and Lens, but they were ultimately defeated 3-2 at home by LASK Linz, ending their four-game winning streak in the group stage.

This setback led to a two-match losing streak that triggered reactions from dissatisfied supporters, especially after tasting a league defeat at home to newly promoted Academico de Viseu. Nevertheless, the Lions have since gotten back to winning form.

After overcoming Maritimo in the Taca da Liga last Tuesday, they achieved a 2-0 away win against Casa Pia, which places them third in the Primeira Liga, albeit nine points behind the leaders.

Tuesday’s match presents head coach Rui Borges another chance to regain the support of the fans and the club’s management, while Sporting will be eager to enhance their chances of securing an automatic spot in the Champions League knockout phase after having finished seventh in the group stage last season.

The Portuguese side can also draw confidence from their excellent record against Ukrainian teams, winning seven of their last eight encounters, including the last four in succession.

Team News

Shakhtar will be missing Pedrinho, who is set for a prolonged absence following surgery on his thigh, and Eguinaldo (shoulder) as well as Marlon Santos (muscle) are also expected to sit this one out due to injuries.

Pedro Henrique is likely to return to the left-back position after being replaced by Irakli Azarov, who recently made his first start for the club after recovery from injury, while Alisson is also expected to be reinstated after his impactful performance off the bench last time.

Sporting is likely to continue without Zeno Debast and Rodrigo Zalazar, both of whom are managing muscular injuries, and Nuno Santos is still on the path to recovery from an extended absence due to knee tendon issues.

Nestory Irãkunda is also a doubtful inclusion after suffering a knee injury against Casa Pia, although he completed recovery sessions with the starters, indicating that Flavio Goncalves could be an option should the Australian not be cleared to play.

Luis Suarez had a dry patch against Casa Pia, breaking a 10-match scoring streak across all competitions. Nevertheless, the Colombian has scored in three consecutive Champions League matches, equaling the club record held by Sa Pinto and Nani.

Shakhtar Donetsk probable starting XI:

Riznyk; Tobias, Bondar, Matviyenko, P Henrique; Nazaryna, Ocheretko, Isaque; Alisson, Elias, Mendoza

Sporting Lisbon probable starting XI:

Kaique; Fresneda, Quaresma, Inacio, M Araujo; Doumbia, Altimira; Catamo, P Lima, Irankunda; L Suarez

Shakhtar has displayed enough potential in recent weeks to suggest they could challenge Sporting, who have not appeared entirely secure in their recent matches, though the superior quality of the Portuguese side might ultimately make a difference.