Our prediction for this Champions League match:
Atalanta
Match Time & Date:
01/10/2019
12:55 PM
Prediction: 2-1
Shakhtar
Seeing that Atalanta suffered a shocking 4-0 loss to Dinamo Zagreb in their Champions League opener, the Serie A side have no other choice but to go all guns blazing at Shakhtar Donetsk in their second group game. Atalanta produce much better and given the fact that the Ukrainians experienced all sorts of problems in a 3-0 loss to Man City, we believe that there is a big value in betting on the Italians.
A man to watch in the home team will be Slovenia international Josip Ilicic, who is likely to prove a handful for the opposition defenders. Shakhtar Donetsk are not regarded as good travelers and you should bear in mind that they failed to find the net in three of their last five away games in the elite competition. The two clubs have never met before in European competitions.
Highlighted Player (Marten de Roon):
After spending his youth career in ASWH, Feyenoord and Sparta Rotterdam, Marten de Roon made his senior debut on 27 March 2010. The midfielder played for Sparta against Twente back then, but he made no more than three appearances for de Kasteelheren in the 2009/2010 season.
Marten de Roon joined Heerenveen in 2012 and in 2015 he moved to Serie A side Atalanta. He made 36 appearances for Atalanta in the 2015/2016 Serie A campaign, but on 4 July, 2016, he signed a contract with Middlesbrough for a reported fee of £12m. The Dutch footballer scored one goal in three appearances for Netherlands U19 team.
Marten de Roon was born in Zwinjndrecht, Netherlands on 29 March, 1991. His main position is central midfield, but he is capable of playing as a defensive and attacking midfielder as well. Martin de Roon is a right-footed footballer and he is 185 cm tall.
Highlighted Team (Shakhtar):
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.
Borussia Dortmund
Man City
Liverpool
Real Madrid
AS Roma
Ajax
Manchester United
Granada
Slavia Prague
Arsenal
Villarreal
Dinamo Zagreb
