Real Madrid vs Shakhtar Donetsk Prediction & Betting Tips - Champions League

Prediction published on 18/10/2020, 22:05  by Daniel Ngulu | Modified on 18/10/2020 at 22:13 in Champions League Predictions

Real Madrid suffered a shock loss in La Liga on Saturday and will be looking to recover when they switch to the Champions League, with a home game against Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday. Heading to the Group B game, the two sides had mixed fortunes; Shakhtar registered a win at home, beating Lviv 5-1 as Real suffered a 1-0 home loss to Cadiz. In the game, skipper Sergio Ramos was forced off at half time with a suspected knee injury and it is not yet clear if he will feature on Wednesday. The loss presented the second time in the season that Real has failed to score in a match and also in the last 20 matches. Going to this game, Real will really hope they get back to their home form, having won eight of the last 10 there. They will remember vividly their last Champions League game at home, as they fell 2-1 to Manchester City in the quarter finals on their way out last season. They lost both legs and despite being the most successful team in the competition, and in recent times, they haven’t lived to expectations. In the last 11 Champions League matches, Real Madrid have won just four and only two of the 11 have produced clean sheets. It has also been painful for them at home in the competition, winning just one of the last six, and losing three. Though Real have scored in each of their last five at home, they have conceded in five of the last six and in these, they have conceded two or more goals. These two sides faced off in 2015, and Real won 8-3 on aggregate.

Real Madrid are not as good as they were five years ago when they thrashed Shakhtar 4-0 and 4-3 across two months. The Ukrainian giants should be well aware of this and happy to be facing Real after a home loss and without fans at the Alfredo di Stefano Stadium. In a group that has Borussia Monchengladbach and Inter Milan, a fine start is key and with a five-match unbeaten run ahead of this game, they will have the right psyche. One issue however, is that the visitors have just one clean sheet in their last nine matches and four times out of the nine, they have conceded two or more. In their last match against Real, in 2015, they were losing 4-0 but scored thrice in the last 13 minutes and as they face this Real Madrid side, they will feel they can do the job. That will however call for a massive improvement on their away form, having failed to win any of their last five away games. In six of their last seven away matches, Shakhtar have conceded two or more, among these was a 5-0 beating by Inter Milan last season in the Europa League. In the last 22 away matches in the Champions League, Shakhtar have managed just five wins, but they are unbeaten in the last four and have scored in five of the last six.