Shakhtar Donetsk VS Basel Match Prediction
2020-08-11
19:00:00
Shakhtar Donetsk
VS
Basel
Our Prediction Tip
Shakhtar Donetsk will win this match.
2020-08-1119:00:00 Shakhtar Donetsk will win this match.
Shakhtar Donetsk have an excellent European record in this fixture. They drew when they met in the Intertoto Cup back in 1996, but more recently they beat Basel 5-0 and 2-1 in the 2008-09 Champions League group stage. This, however, is their first meeting since.
Shakhtar Donetsk and Basel are the two lesser-fancied teams left in the Europa League now, but one of them will be lining up for a semi-final with Inter Milan.
Both are in unbeaten form after the end of their respective domestic campaigns, and both beat German opposition to seal their place in this match.
Basel already comfortably led Eintracht Frankfurt and a late Fabian Frei goal – yet another from the central midfielder – and a clean sheet sealed their aggregate win.
Shakhtar, on the other hand, had the advantage going into their second leg but it was not until Moraes struck twice late on, either side of Manor Solomon’s goal, that they completed their victory.
Donetsk are favourites to beat Basel, having found better attacking form while Basel have been a little uninspiring up front.
Neither is fancied to go all the way, but this is a big match and a big chance to build some momentum.
While both are enjoying unbeaten runs going into this game, Shakhtar have won more and can add to that winning tally with victory in this game too.
Shakhtar Donetsk are odds-on favourites to beat Basel in this game, and they can be backed at 10/11 to win with Bet365, 888sport and 10Bet.
With both teams in good form, both teams to score has been set at 4/6 with Bet365, meanwhile.
Over 2.5 goals in this quarter-final tie will return 8/11 with 888sport and Bet365, meanwhile.
Junior Moraes is in fine goalscoring form, adding two more last time out, and he is 5/4 to score at any time with 888sport.
Shakhtar Donetsk come into the game in better goalscoring form and with more wins in their current unbeaten streak than Basel have managed.
Davit Khocholava is suspended after his red card in the win against Wolfsburg last time out, but Shakhtar Donetsk are otherwise at full strength.
Junior Moraes – Continued his fine season with two more goals in the last match to seal Shakhtar’s place in this quarter-final.
Manor Solomon – Could be in line for a start after goals in each of his last two appearances – the strike against Wolfsburg coming as a substitute.
Sergey Kryvtsov – The centre-back will lead the defence against a Basel team who, given there are difficult to break down at the other end, need to be kept under wraps up front.
Shakhtar Donetsk are unbeaten in their last ten competitive matches and 14 in total including friendlies. They ended their league season with a 2-2 draw with Olexandria, despite having been 2-0 up through Tete and Manor Solomon. Shakhtar defended a 2-1 lead against Wolfsburg going into the second leg of their last-16 tie and, after both teams had players sent off, Junior Moraes scored twice and Solomon also netted as Donetsk ran riot in the last few minutes to wrap up a 3-0 victory on the night and 5-1 aggregate win.
Ramieres and Lucas Zuffi remain sidelined for the Swiss side, and goalkeeper Jonas Omlin is likely to miss out again too, with Dorde Nikolic continuing in goal. Centre-back Eray Omert is also now unavailable, after a yellow card in the second leg of their last-16 tie with Eintracht Frankfurt.
Arthur Cabral – Hit 18 goals in all competitions this season, most recently netting the late equaliser against Lugano – Basel’s last league goal.
Fabian Frei – Continued a fine goalscoring season from midfield with his late winner in the last round – he has scored and assisted plenty from the middle of the park.
Samuele Campo – Another creative heart of this team, playing in attacking midfield and providing a good tally of goals and assists.
Basel are unbeaten in their last eight matches, but they have drawn four of them – including three in a row at the end of the league season. Their defensive record, aside from a 4-4 draw with Lugano in which Arthur Cabral rescued a late point, has been excellent and they made it three clean sheets in a row to seal victory against Eintracht Frankfurt last time out. Fabian Frei scored a late goal as Basel won 4-0 on aggregate.
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