Former Ukraine and Shakhtar player Ihor Zhabchenko has named Shakhtar as the favorite in today's Champions League group stage second-leg match between Atalanta and Shakhtar Donetsk:
Igor Zhabchenko- "I estimate Atalanta's chances a bit higher. And not only because the team from Bergamo is the reigning Europa League champion, but we should also not forget that the representatives of Italy are very uncomfortable rivals of our clubs in the international arena. Nevertheless, the main thing is that Atalanta is a more organized team with a lot of eminent performers, while the Shakhtar have enough players who are just about to make a name for themselves in European competitions.
What would I wish Shakhtar in tomorrow's match in Gelsenkirchen? First of all, to try not to make mistakes in simple situations near their own possession. In the Champions League, this is punishable by conceded goals.
Instead, Shakhtar have enough high-speed wingers and we need to take advantage of it. Moreover, the Pitmen's central midfielders are not lacking in creativity, they own the last pass and this can make life difficult for the visitors' defenders, who do not seem to be passable.
Atalanta will also be without several leaders, of course, and coach Gasperini will try to minimize their absence with tactical changes, but this increases the Pitmen's chances of competing with the ambitious Italian club. By the way, if a peace agreement is signed in Gelsenkirchen, I believe it will be a good outcome for the Donetsk team.
