Our prediction for this Champions League match:
Volksparkstadion in Hamburg will host Tuesday’s Champions League game between Shakhtar Donetsk and Porto. The Minners are on a three-game winning run in the Ukraine Premier League and they must be high on confidence ahead of the visit of Porto. Even though there are no fresh injury worries in Patrick van Leeuwen’s team, home win should not be considered as Shakhtar Donetsk play home games on the neutral location.
The Dragons, on the other hand, defeated Estrela at the weekend thanks to Mehdi Taremi’s goal, with the team retaining top position in the standings. Porto are more of a team than Shakhtar Donetsk and despite the fact that all Gabriel Veron, Marko Grujic, Danny Namaso, and Ivan Marcano are sidelined with injuries, we are tempted to put our money on the Primeira Liga outfit. Brazil forward Pepe is banned for the match following his sending-off in the last season’s Champions League encounter with Inter.
Highlighted Player (Toni Martinez):
Born in Barrio del Progreso, Spain, on June 30, 1997, Toni Martinez is a forward who plays for Primeira Liga side Famalicao. Martinez is a product of Real Murcia football school, but in 2013 he moved to Valencia youth academy.
After scoring two goals in 16 appearances for Valencia B, the Spaniard signed a deal with West Ham United in April 2016 for a fee of around £2.4 million. However, he did not see any game action in the Premier League with the Hammers as he was immediately sent on loan to Oxford United.
Toni Martinez played for the likes of Real Valladolid, Rayo Majadahonda, and Lugo on loan as well before signing a three-year deal with Famalicao in the summer of 2019. He made his debut with the Azuis e Brancos on August 3, 2019, in a 2-0 home defeat to Covilha in the Taca da Portugal. Toni Martinez has two caps with the Spain U19 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.