Our prediction for this Europa League match:
Shakhtar Donetsk
Match Time & Date:
31 July 2025
19:00
Prediction: 2-2
Besiktas
Stadion Miejski will be the center of attention when Shakhtar Donetsk and Besiktas lock horns in the Europa League second qualifying round, return leg. The Miners are with one foot in round 3 following a 4-2 win in Turkey, but they can’t afford any complacency in Thursday’s clash. Bearing any fresh injury worries, Shakhtar boss Arda Turan is unlikely to make changes to the team that won the first leg.
The Black and Whites, on the other hand, face an uphill task in the second leg as they need to overcome a two-goal deficit away from home. As Besiktas have no other option but to go all guns blazing at Shakhtar, we are tempted to place our bets on over 2.5 goals. As the match will be played on a neutral location, there is a big value in betting on draw as well. Experienced Besiktas midfielder Joao Mario is pushing for a recall after scoring as a substitute in the first leg.
Highlighted Player (Milot Rashica):
Milot Rashica is a Kosovo Albanian player who was born on June 28, 1996 in Vucitrn, FR Yugoslavia. Rashica is a product of FC Vushtrria football academy and he continued playing for the Ferki Aliu Stadium outfit at senior level.
Milot Rashica is a winger, but he is used as an attacking midfielder as well and it has to be noted that his preferred foot is right. Nowadays, the Albanian footballer plays for Vitesse in Dutch Eredivisie and he has established himself as a first-team regular at the club.
Milot Rashica made his Vitesse debut on July 30, 2015, coming as a substitute for Serbia international Uros Djurdjevic in a 3-0 defeat to Southampton in the Europa League qualifiers. Speaking of his Eredivisie debut, Rashica played his first match for Vitesse in the Dutch elite division on August 9, 2015 in a 1-1 draw with Willem II. The Vitesse footballer has six caps for Albania U21 team, but he represents Kosovo at senior level.
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.
Banga
Rosenborg
Hacken
Anderlecht
Braga
Levski Sofia
Hibernian
Midtjylland
Legia
Ostrava
Partizan
Oleksandriya
