Former Ukraine midfielder Oleh Shelayev has revealed what he expects from the clash between Shakhtar Donetsk and French side Marseille in the Europa League play-offs for the right to reach the last 16 of the tournament.
- It is unlikely that the Miners will put maximum pressure on Marseille in the first half, knowing that the opposition is conceding goals before the break. Focusing too much on Marseille's recent failures is a double-edged sword...
As a coach, Gattuso is in a dangerous situation at the moment, and the French team's players are not doing so well. Accordingly, no one knows what Marseille's attitude will be for the match against Shakhtar. Everything is clear about the Pitmen's mood, but guessing about the opponent's slump could end badly
I'm betting on a productive draw in the first leg - 1-1 or 2-2. I don't think this result will be critical for the Shakhtar. The match in Hamburg is, figuratively speaking, a test for both teams. When they will determine each other's strengths and weaknesses. A head-to-head game is expected, an acquaintance. For Shakhtar, a home match is a motivation incomparable to sparring matches, a game in front of numerous fans. "The situation is not so simple... However, everything will be decided not now, but in France, at the Velodrome stadium," Footboom quotes Shelayev as saying.