It's time for cup football and it's the Champions League Group Stage between Shakhtar Donetsk and Atalanta. Here's the biggest preview available before kick-off:
It’s a hectic schedule for the away team, as they were in action only four days ago in the Serie A.
It's quite the trip for Atalanta when visiting Shakhtar Donetsk as the cities are 2500 kilometers apart.
Shakhtar Donetsk form and stats
Last season, Shakhtar Donetsk's Champions League journey ended in the group stage.Shakhtar Donetsk have been outstanding at home so far in the Premier League with 8 wins, 1 draw and only 0 losses. The Shakhtar Donetsk fans aren't used to losing here at Metalist Stadium and will expect new points from this game. Shakhtar Donetsk has played 28 games in a row here without a defeat. Shakhtar Donetsk haven’t lost a game in 46 attempts regardless of arena, a great achievement. Their last loss was the fixture versus Dynamo Kyiv, 495 days ago.
The Shakhtar Donetsk supporters enjoyed the previous match, watching their team host Olimpik Donetsk in Premier League and win 3-0. 1-1 away at Mariupol before that.
This is expected to be a close game, with Shakhtar Donetsk perhaps considered small favourites due to their home advantage. Looking back at earlier matches similar to this one (expected to be close with Shakhtar Donetsk as a small favourite), we find three games. Shakhtar Donetsk has won 1 of these, drawn 2 and lost 0.
There will be little rest for Shakhtar Donetsk after this match as they are travelling to Zorya for a Premier League game in only three days.
Shakhtar Donetsk always seem capable of creating a buzz here at Metalist Stadium with 30 goals in 9 league games. Shakhtar Donetsk are not conceding a lot of goals here at Metalist Stadium in the league, averaging less than one per game. The total is 5 from 9 matches.
Atalanta form and stats
They also participated in Europa League last season. This ended in the play-offs, when København drew the shortest straw.Atalanta have an excellent away record in the Serie A so far with 5-3-0 from 8 games. Atalanta are enjoying a nice run from their away games now, having played 14 in a row without losing.
Atalanta won their last game, 3-2 versus Hellas Verona played at home. Before that one, a nice away victory 3-0 at Brescia.
So, this is expected to be a close game, an even contest. Looking at earlier matches with Atalanta playing away and similar expectations, we found four relevant matches. Results were 2 Atalanta wins, 2 draws and 0 defeats.
The schedule is very tough for Atalanta now as they have to travel again shortly after this match. A Serie A game at Bologna is waiting in only four days.
With an average of more than two away goals per league game away, Atalanta are regular goalscorers on their travels. 9 goals have been conceded by Atalanta in these games.
Head 2 Head
The last H2H meeting was Atalanta - Shakhtar Donetsk 1-2, played this season.Top Goalscorers
  Júnior Moraes 14 goals |   L. Muriel 9 goals |  Taison 7 goals |
Shakhtar Donetsk missing players
Atalanta missing players
| Shakhtar Donetsk | Atalanta | ||||||
| Total | Home | Statistics | Stat | Away | Total | ||
| 25 | 11 | Played | P | 14 | 25 | ||
| 17 | 8 | Won | W | 6 | 11 | ||
| 5 | 2 | Drew | D | 4 | 6 | ||
| 3 | 1 | Lost | L | 4 | 8 | ||
| 59 | 32 | Scored | S | 27 | 52 | ||
| 21 | 10 | Conceded | C | 26 | 44 | ||
| 96% | 91% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 93% | 96% | ||
| 84% | 82% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 93% | 96% | ||
| 64% | 82% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 79% | 76% | ||
| 36% | 55% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 57% | 60% | ||
| 20% | 36% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 43% | 36% | ||
| 44% | 36% | BTTS | BTTS | 71% | 76% | ||
| 48% | 55% | Clean Sheets | C S | 21% | 16% | ||
| 12% | 18% | Failed to Score | F T | 14% | 12% | ||
| 6.1 | 6.7 | Corners For (avg) | C F | 5.5 | 6.7 | ||
| 3.5 | 2.9 | Corners Against (avg) | C A | 4.4 | 4.4 | ||
| 2 | 1.7 | Yellow Cards (avg) | Y C | 1.9 | 2.2 | ||
| 4 | 2 | Red Cards | R C | 1 | 4 | ||
| 293 | 139 | Total Shots | T S | 223 | 440 | ||
| 140 | 75 | Shots on Target | S O | 88 | 172 | ||
| 42% | 43% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 31% | 30% | ||
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Manchester City | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 11 |
| 2 | Shakhtar Donetsk | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 5 | -2 | 6 |
| 3 | Dinamo Zagreb | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 5 |
| 4 | Atalanta | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 9 | -7 | 4 |
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Shakhtar Donetsk | 17 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 48 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 3 | 40 | 47 |
| 2 | Dynamo Kyiv | 16 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 34 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 14 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 4 | 24 | 33 |
| 3 | Zorya | 16 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 31 | 13 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 17 | 7 | 18 | 31 |
| 4 | Desna | 16 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 23 | 10 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 6 | 13 | 30 |
| 5 | Oleksandria | 17 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 21 | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 9 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 30 |
| 6 | Kolos Kovalivka | 17 | 6 | 2 | 9 | 16 | 28 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 12 | 14 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 14 | -12 | 20 |
| 7 | Dnipro-1 | 17 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 17 | 26 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 15 | -9 | 18 |
| 8 | Mariupol | 16 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 15 | 25 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 15 | -10 | 18 |
| 9 | Olimpik Donetsk | 17 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 15 | 30 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 18 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 12 | -15 | 18 |
| 10 | Karpaty | 16 | 2 | 5 | 9 | 12 | 25 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 13 | -13 | 11 |
| 11 | Lviv | 16 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 11 | 30 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 13 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 17 | -19 | 11 |
| 12 | Vorskla | 17 | 3 | 2 | 12 | 10 | 32 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 20 | -22 | 11 |
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Inter | 15 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 31 | 13 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 7 | 18 | 38 |
| 2 | Juventus | 15 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 26 | 15 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 7 | 11 | 36 |
| 3 | Lazio | 15 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 36 | 15 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 24 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 8 | 21 | 33 |
| 4 | Roma | 15 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 26 | 15 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 5 | 11 | 29 |
| 5 | Atalanta | 15 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 37 | 23 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 18 | 14 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 19 | 9 | 14 | 28 |
| 6 | Cagliari | 14 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 29 | 17 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 19 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 12 | 28 |
| 7 | Napoli | 15 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 24 | 19 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 13 | 5 | 21 |
| 8 | Parma | 14 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 20 | 18 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 9 | 2 | 18 |
| 9 | Hellas Verona | 15 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 14 | 17 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 10 | -3 | 18 |
| 10 | Torino | 14 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 16 | 20 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 11 | -4 | 17 |
| 11 | Milan | 14 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 13 | 17 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 7 | -4 | 17 |
| 12 | Bologna | 14 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 20 | 23 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 14 | -3 | 16 |
| 13 | Fiorentina | 14 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 18 | 21 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 12 | -3 | 16 |
| 14 | Udinese | 15 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 24 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 15 | -14 | 15 |
| 15 | Sassuolo | 13 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 24 | 25 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 16 | 14 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 11 | -1 | 14 |
| 16 | Lecce | 14 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 18 | 27 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 16 | -9 | 14 |
| 17 | Sampdoria | 14 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 12 | 24 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 16 | -12 | 12 |
| 18 | Genoa | 14 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 15 | 28 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 18 | -13 | 10 |
| 19 | SPAL | 14 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 21 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 11 | -12 | 9 |
| 20 | Brescia | 13 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 10 | 26 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 15 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 11 | -16 | 7 |