Our prediction for this Champions League match:
Borussia Dortmund
Match Time & Date:
29/01/2025
21:00
Prediction: 3-0
Shakhtar Donetsk
Out-of-sorts Borussia Dortmund will look to give fans some cheer when they face Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League round 8. The Yellow-Blacks failed to win the previous five games in all competitions, but they are still seen as hot favourites to beat the Miners at their Signal-Iduna-Park. Felix Nmecha and Niclas Sule should be the only absentees in the home team as defender Ramy Bensebaini is back from suspension. As a win over Shakhtar could see Borussia secure a top-eight finish, there is a big value in betting on the Bundesliga outfit.
The Ukrainians, on the other hand, are brimming with confidence following a 2-0 win over Brest, but with their slim playoffs chances, anything but a routine home win would be a big surprise. As Pedro Henrique returns from suspension, Shakhtar Donetsk boss Marino Pusic has a luxury to field the best possible side against Borussia Dortmund.
Highlighted Player (Julian Brandt):
Julian Brandt is one of the most promising wingers in Germany. He started playing football in his hometown, Bremen, at SC Borgfeld, moving to FC Oberneuland, after which he joined VLF Wolfsburg’s youth academy. With 27 goals in his 48 games during two seasons with the Wolves, Brandt recommended himself to Bayer 04 Leverkusen, signing a five-and-a-half-year contract in January 2014.
The 22-year-old winger prefers to play on the left flank, but he can also provide help on the right side, as well as an attacking midfielder. During the season 2015/2016, Julian Brandt netted goals in six consecutive games, becoming the youngest player since Gerd Muller to achieve this.
The good performances in the season made Joackim Low call the youngster in Germany’s preliminary 27-man squad for the Euro 2016 and he made his first appearance for the senior squad in May 2016, against Slovakia. He was a part of the Germany squad at the Summer Olympics, where Brandt and his teammates won the silver medal. In the summer of 2018, Julian Brandt made the World Cup team.
Highlighted Team (Shakhtar Donetsk):
Despite the fact that they were founded back in 1936, Shakhtar Donetsk were struggling to win the Ukrainian Premier League trophy until 2002. The Miners have established themselves as the dominant force in Ukrainian football and it has to be noted that they won their ninth domestic trophy in 2014.
Shakhtar Donetsk were playing at Donbass Arena in the past, but due to war in Donbass the club temporarily moved to Arena Lviv. In 2009 the Miners won the UEFA Cup trophy under Romanian boss Mircea Lucescu, beating Werder Bremen in the title game. Croatian full back Dario Srna was named the man of the match. Dynamo Kiev are considered Shakhtar Donetsk’s main rivals and there have always been fireworks in meetings between the two sides.
Shakhtar have a rivalry with Metalurh Donetsk as well and the two local rivals face each other in the Donetsk Derby. Chelsea ace Willian, Manchester United star Mkhitaryan and Manchester City midfielder Fernandinho all played for Shakhtar in the past.
Ajax 
Galatasaray 
Anderlecht 
Hoffenheim
AS Roma
Frankfurt 
FCSB 
Manchester United 
Rangers 
St Gilloise 
Real Sociedad
PAOK
