Champions League: Shakhtar Donetsk v Borussia Dortmund match preview

A look ahead to tonight’s Champions League fixture at the Donbass Arena

Marco Reus of Borussia Dortmund (GETTY IMAGES)

Shakhtar Donetsk head into their first Champions League game since influential winger Willian left the club for Anzhi Makhachkala in the January transfer window. Fellow Brazilian Alex Teixeira looks likely to fill the vacated spot on the right wing, though new signing Taison could make his debut.

The Bundesliga champions will welcome back defenders Marcel Schmelzer and Neven Subotic from a foot and hamstring injury respectively. They are without midfielder Ilkay Gundogan with Nuri Sahin – on loan from Real Madrid following a spell with Liverpool – likely to feature. Kevin Grosskreutz looks set to miss out as he is suffering from pneumonia.

With Olexandr Kucher suspended, either former Barcelona centre-back Dmytro Chygrynskiy or Sergey Krivtsov will partner Yaroslav Rakytskyy at the back. The two sides have only met twice before, in the Champions League qualifiers 12 years ago, with the Germans winning both ties to progress to the group stages.

KICK-OFF: 7.45pm

PAST TWO MEETINGS...

Borussia Dortmund 3 (Koller 2, Amoroso) Shakhtar Donetsk 1 (Aghahowa), Champions League, August 2001.

Shakhtar Donetsk 0 Borussia Dortmund 2 (Ricken, Oliseh), Champions League, August 2001.

STATS...

Shakhtar Donetsk have only won two of their last seven Champions League fixtures at home – three loses and two draws.

They are unbeaten in their last four games against German opposition – three wins, one draw.

Borussia Dortmund have never lost to a Ukrainian side with five wins and one draw.

The Germans are one of four teams who remain unbeaten in this year’s Champions League – Juventus, Malaga and Schalke are the others.

Marco Reus has scored in each of his three away games in the Champions League this season.

ODDS...

Shakhtar Donetsk to win: 2.64

Borussia Dortmund to win: 2.88

Draw: 3.55

TV: Live on Sky Sports 4 at 7.45pm. Highlights on Sky Sports 1 from midnight.