Barcelona v Shakhtar Donetsk Prediction, Odds and Betting Tips

🏆 Barcelona v Shakhtar Donetsk

These two sides have met six times previously in official UEFA competition, with Barcelona winning on four occasions and Shakhtar prevailing twice. One of Shakhtar’s wins also came at the Nou Camp in the 2008/09 group stages, with Fernandinho’s 76th-minute goal securing an historic 3-2 victory. Barca won the subsequent two meetings in the 2010/11 ULC quarterfinal, including a 5-1 home victory that contributed to a 6-1 aggregate win.

Unsurprisingly, Barca have averaged 63.0% possession during their first two Group H games, compared to just 46.5% for Shakhtar. However, the visitors have been efficient with the possession that they have had, scoring four times from 25 attempts at an impressive goals per shot ratio of 0.16. They’ve also significantly exceeded their expected goals value of 2.8, so will pose a considerable and potent threat in transition when they visit the Nou Camp.

These sides have also produced eight and seven goal-creating actions in their two matches so far and they may be more evenly matched than the ante post odds suggest. So, although I expect Barca to win and continue on their jounrey to the last 16 (while recording an eighth consecutive home victory) here, I think Shakhtar will score at the Nou Camp and more than play their part in an entertaining match!

💯 Barcelona v Shakhtar Donetsk UCL Match Odds

Our recommended betting sites offer a huge range of UEFA Champions League wagering markets, including those associated with Barcelona vs Shakhtar Donetsk. Below, I’ve previewed the most popular match betting markets and published the latest ante post odds too. You can explore a thoughtfully curated selection of the best betting sites, offering a wide array of options for your consideration.

Barcelona v Shakhtar Donetsk: Match Winner

Barcelona are odds-on to win and priced as low as 1.16 to beat Shakhtar at the Nou Camp, while the away side can be backed at a market high price of 15.00. This highlights the perceived chasm between the two sides and Barcelona’s incredibly impressive home record.

Yes/No
Barcelona to Win	1.20	1.20	1.16	1.18	1.18
Shakhtar Donetsk to Win	15.00	13.00	12.70	13.00	13.00
Draw	7.00	6.50	7.05	7.00	7.00

Barcelona v Shakhtar Donetsk: Both Teams To Score

Barca only conceded four goals at home in the entirety of the 2022/23 La Liga campaign, while they’ve already kept five clean sheets in six matches at the Nou Camp in all competitions this season. However, both sides have scored in nine of the 13 matches contested by Shakhtar this season, including the two UCL games featuring the Ukrainian team.

Yes/No
Yes	2.00	1.95	2.06	2.00	1.95
No	1.75	1.83	1.68	1.80	2.00

Barcelona v Shakhtar Donetsk: Over/Under 2.5 Goals

Over/under wagering on the total number of goals scored is a popular even money market, and one that sees a great deal of activity around the 2.5 goals betting line. Interestingly, these two sides have scored 80 goals in the 25 matches they’ve contested so far in 2023/24, at a rate of 3.20 per game, so this may influence your betting selections.

Yes/No
Over 2.5 Goals	1.36	1.40	1.38	1.40	1.40
Under 2.5 Goals	3.00	2.88	2.79	2.75	2.80

1️⃣ Barcelona Update

Barca haven’t lost in any of their 12 matches this season, with the team having won both Champions League encounters to date and seven of their 10 La Liga games. They’ve also been particularly strong at the Nou Camp, keeping five clean sheets in six matches in 2023/24 while scoring an impressive 18 goals. They’ll also go in search of an eighth consecutive home win in all competitions and have lost just three of their last 26 matches at the Nou Camp since the beginning of last season, while they may even be able to welcome talismanic striker Robert Lewandowski back from injury in time for the visit of Shakhtar!

The return of Lewandowski from an ankle injury will be a real tonic for Barca, although he’ll face a fitness test ahead of Shakhtar’s visit. Pedri may also be available after a hamstring strain, while Raphinha is also closing in on a return as he recovers from a muscle injury. However, Frenkie de Jong (ankle strain), Jules Kounde (knee) and club captain Sergi Roberto (muscle) remain long-term absentees.

2️⃣ Shakhtar Donetsk Update

While Shakhtar sit third in the Ukranian Premier League at just two points off the top of the table, they’ve only won three of their previous six matches in all competitions. During this sequence, they’ve experienced damaging defeats to both Porto (in the UCL) and Vorskla Poltava at the Arena Lviv, although it’s interesting to note that the side is unbeaten on the road in eight visits so far this season. Their dramatic 3-2 win at Antwerp on October 4th (when they recovered from a two-goal deficit to prevail) also helped to keep their qualification hopes alive. So, they’ll head to the Nou Camp in relatively confident mood and ready to cause a seismic UCL shock!

Shakhtar Donetsk have a largely fully fit squad to choose from ahead of their trip to Spain, although striker Lassina Traoré remains a long-term absentee with a tendon tear. Left winger Ivan Petryak is also a significant doubt with an ankle injury.

👕 Barcelona v Shakhtar Donetsk - Potential Lineups

✒️ Lewis Humphries – Expert Tipster

Lewis Humphries is an experienced football writer and tipster from the UK. He writes regularly about the Champions League, Premier League, Serie A and other competitions, regularly delivering expert match predictions and betting insights. He also successfully predicted the winner of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, while accurately forecasting the outcome of several group stage and knockout games.