The Matchday 7 clash in the 2024/25 Champions League between Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine) and Brest (France) will take place on January 22 at the Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Brest: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Referee: Sandro Schärer (Switzerland)
Matches – 7 (International matches, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 23;
Average yellow cards per match – 3.3;
Red cards shown – 0;
Average fouls per match – 23;
Penalties – 14%.
Predicted lineups for Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Brest
Shakhtar Donetsk (4-3-3): Dmytro Riznyk – Yukhym Konoplia, Valeriy Bondar, Mykola Matviyenko, Alaa Ghram – Dmytro Kryskiv, Artem Bondarenko, Heorhii Sudakov – Oleksandr Zubkov, Eginaldo, Danylo Sikan.
Brest (4-3-3): Marco Bizot – Mathias Pereira Lage, Abdoulaye Ndiaye, Brendan Chardonnet, Kenny Lala – Edimilson Fernandes, Mahdi Camara, Hugo Magnetti – Kamory Doumbia, Ludovic Ajorque, Abdallah Sima.
Shakhtar Donetsk
The Ukrainian side enters this fixture after two consecutive Champions League defeats. They first lost 2-3 away to PSV, followed by a 1-5 defeat against Bayern in Gelsenkirchen. Shakhtar has only one victory against Young Boys (2-1) and a goalless draw with Bologna. With four points, they sit 27th in the standings, four points away from the playoff zone. The team needs to win the upcoming match to keep their hopes alive for the next round of the European competition. A draw would likely leave them out of the top 24, given their significant negative goal difference (-8).
Defender Pedro Henrique Azevedo is suspended for this match.
- At least three goals have been scored in 9 of Shakhtar's last 13 matches in this tournament.
- The Miners have failed to score in the second half in their last six Champions League matches.
Brest
The French team's debut in this European competition has been remarkably successful. After six rounds, they are seventh, and a win in the upcoming fixture will guarantee them a playoff spot. During this stage, Brest has lost only once – to Barcelona away (0-3). In the other matches, Eric Roy's side secured four victories and a draw with Bayer (1-1).
Defender Julien Le Cardinal will miss the match due to suspension. Midfielder Jonas Martin, as well as defenders Soumaïla Coulibaly, Jordan Amavi, Massadio Haidara, and Bradley Locko, are in the club's infirmary.
- The team has scored in 5 of their last 6 Champions League games.
- At least one goal has been scored in the first half of all six of Brest's matches in this competition.
- The team has not won in the second half in their last four Champions League matches (3 draws, 1 loss).
Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Brest: Match Prediction
The nominal hosts have no choice but to win both of their remaining matches to advance to the next round of the European competition. Defeating the French team is achievable, despite their high position in the tournament. Eric Roy's side has benefited from the schedule, facing only Bayer and Barcelona as serious opponents. The Ukrainian club is far more experienced than Brest and will be ready for the upcoming game. The players understand that to secure three points, they need to attack from the first minute and aim to score as many goals as possible.
Shakhtar has scored in 15 of their last 19 Champions League matches, often against much stronger opponents than the French team. Brest, during this stage, has only kept clean sheets against PSV and Salzburg. It's also worth noting that Brest is in the lower half of the Ligue 1 table, conceding at a rate similar to the league's bottom three teams.
I also expect goals from the visitors, who have failed to score only against Barcelona in this Champions League. The Ukrainians have conceded in 19 of their last 22 matches in this tournament. Therefore, my prediction is Both Teams to Score – Yes
