#Match Information:

 

**Match**: [](#barcelona) Barcelona vs Shakhtar Donetsk [](#shakhtar)

**Competition**: Champions League

**Date**: Wednesday, 25th of October 2023

**Time**: 18:45 CEST / 12:45 EDT – [Convert to local time](https://www.time.is/1698252300)

**Venue**: [Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, Barcelona](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Estadi_Ol%C3%ADmpic_Llu%C3%ADs_Companys_-_Barcelona%2C_Spain_-_Jan_2007.jpg/1920px-Estadi_Ol%C3%ADmpic_Llu%C3%ADs_Companys_-_Barcelona%2C_Spain_-_Jan_2007.jpg) – 54367 capacity

**Referee**: Ivan Kružliak

 

#Lineups and Squads:

 

[](#barcelona) **Barcelona** – [Official squad confirmed](https://twitter.com/FCBarcelona/status/1716767741493834209/photo/1)

**GK**: Ter Stegen, Iñaki Peña, **Ander Astralaga**

**DEF**: João Cancelo, Álex Baldé, Araújo, Íñigo Martínez, Christensen, Alonso, ~~Koundé~~, **Pau Cubrsi**, **Héctor Fort**

**MID**: ~~Gavi~~, ~~Pedri~~, Oriol Romeu, ~~Sergi Roberto~~, ~~Frenkie~~, Gündoğan, **Marc Casadó**, **Fermín López**, **Aleix Garrido**

**ATT**: Ferran Torres, ~~Lewandowski~~, ~~Raphinha~~, João Félix, **Lamine Yamal**, **Marc Guiu**

**Unavailable**: Koundé, Pedri, Sergi Roberto, Frenkie, Lewandowski, Raphinha (injured) Gavi (suspended)

**Not called**:

 

[](#shakhtar) **Shakhtar Donetsk** – Official squad to be confirmed

**GK**: Artur Rudko, Tymur Puzankov, Dmytro Riznyk, Denys Tvardovskyi

**DEF**: Stav Lamkin, Valeriy Bondar, G. Gocholeishvili, Irakli Azarovi, Dmytro Chygrynskiy, Mykola Matviyenko, Pedro Henrique Azevedo Pereira, Novatus Dismas, Yukhym Konoplia, Eduard Kozik, Yaroslav Rakitskiy

**MID**: Denil Castillo, Taras Stepanenko, Dmytro Kryskiv, Heorhii Sudakov, Artem Bondarenko, Oleh Ocheretko, Egor Nazaryna, Khusrav Toirov

**ATT**: Lassina Traore, Eguinaldo de Sousa Lemos, Maryan Shved, Oleksandr Zubkov, Danylo Sikan, Bogdan V’Yunnik, Kevin Jesús Kelsy Genez, Dmytro Topalov, Ivan Petryak, Newertton Martins da Silva, Oleksii Kashchuk

**Unavailable**:

**Not called**:

 

#Form guide:

 

**Barcelona**

– **Form**: **[W]** D W W D

– **Goals scored**: 7

– **Goals conceded**: 4

– **Last match**: FC Barcelona 1:0 Athletic Club – La Liga

**Shakhtar Donetsk**

– **Form**: **[W]** L W W W

– **Goals scored**: 12

– **Goals conceded**: 4

– **Last match**: Shakhtar Donetsk 2:3 LNZ Cherkasy – Ukrainian Premier League

 

#Head-to-head:

 

– **Last meeting**: Shakhtar Donetsk 0:1 FC Barcelona

– **Date**: Tuesday, 12th of April 2011, 20:45 CEST

– **Competition**: Champions League

– **Threads**: [Pre-match thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/Barca/comments/gmsn4/traveling_squad_to_shakhtar_named/) | [Post-match thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/Barca/comments/gor9x/highlights_of_the_shakhtar_game/)

– **Highlights**: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKsdci6lSTk

 

#Comments (Post-match thread):

 

Author: **poetical_poltergeist** | Score: **4** pts | **[Source](https://reddit.com/r/Barca/comments/gor9x/highlights_of_the_shakhtar_game/c1p4xhe/)**

> I didn’t pay close attention to the game since I’m studying for a discrete maths final (FUUUUU), but Mascherano seemed to be playing as CB and Busquets seemed to be back to his midfield position. Mascherano is extremely good IMO, and his class showed in this game.

> Afellay was better than the previous few games, but in no way is he living up to the hype when he first joined.

> And gosh, Milito is horrible.

Author: **_sic** | Score: **3** pts | **[Source](https://reddit.com/r/Barca/comments/gor9x/highlights_of_the_shakhtar_game/c1p6kl9/)**

> As I said in the match thread, I think this is the first time in the Guardiola era that the team didn’t go out 100% to win the match from the opening whistle. Against this team, in their stadium, with a 4 goal lead it makes sense that Pep would not want to leave spaces for their lethal counters so the defensive line was further back than it normally would be and Alves was not as free to head up the sideline. I think Zonal marking had a graphic of the first match where you could clearly see something like 90% of Shakhtar’s passes headed toward the space that Dani leaves behind. Messi also started the match playing very deep in the midfield to help break Shakhtar’s press, which of course meant that he was not putting pressure on Shakhtar’s defense. The tactic worked to perfection. Although Shakhtar’s intensity allowed them to create a couple of decent scoring chances they were all on static offensive plays rather than counters, meaning that there were always Barça defenders between the attackers and the net and of course Valdes looks like he’s in top form. Basically Barça absorbed Shakthar’s inevitable intense start, cooled off the game and then slowly starting pushing forward.

> I think Afellay actually had a good game, and the first danger produced by Barça’s attack in the first half came when he was combining with Adriano down the left flank. In fact, he put Adriano through with a very nice pass that ended up in a shot that was cleared off the goal line by a Shakhtar defender and he also had a powerful shot on goal from outside the box. It’s true that he’s not tricky enough on the ball to do much damage on the wing from static plays, but on breaks he absolutely blows past defenders. When Xavi went off he seemed pretty comfortable in the midfield, his natural position, but it will take more time before he’s comfortable with Barça’s one touch rondos in the midfield.

> Mascherano at CB was probably the big news of this match. I thought he did an excellent job and I hope to see him there more because 1) Barça’s high line means that his lack of height isn’t that big a deal as he’s not needed to defend against headers in the box and 2) he and Sergio are probably the most positionally aware players on the club and he maintains his concentration very well, which means he’s less likely to get burned on counters than say Milito (who is really off form) or even Piqué who likes to wander up the pitch. The best aspect of Masch at CB is it allows Busquets to move back to the midfielder where he is much much more effective. His pressing in the midfield combined with his unfussy passing is key to keeping Barça ticking.

 

#Quotes:

 

 

#Latest News:

 

[[Article] – Visit of Shakhtar is ‘vital’ for coach Xavi](https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/football/first-team/news/3750618/visit-of-shakhtar-is-vital-for-coach-xavi) – **fcbarcelona.com**

[[Article] – Ferran Torres: ‘It’s about now not the future’](https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/football/first-team/news/3750674/ferran-torres-its-about-now-not-the-future) – **fcbarcelona.com**

[[Squad] – The squad for the visit of Shakhtar Donetsk](https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/football/first-team/news/3750531/the-squad-for-the-visit-of-shakhtar-donetsk) – **fcbarcelona.com**

[[Article] – Xavi and Srna, familiar faces](https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/football/first-team/news/3750465/xavi-and-srna-familiar-faces) – **fcbarcelona.com**

[[Training] – Recovery after win against Athletic](https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/football/first-team/news/3749237/recovery-after-win-against-athletic) – **fcbarcelona.com**

[[Article] – When and where to watch FC Barcelona v Shakhtar Donetsk](https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/football/first-team/news/3742099/when-and-where-to-watch-fc-barcelona-v-shakhtar-donetsk) – **fcbarcelona.com**

 

#TV/Online:

 

**[Livesoccertv](https://www.livesoccertv.com/match/4786579/barcelona-vs-shakhtar-donetsk/)** | **[Liveonsat](https://liveonsat.com/club-uefa-champions-league.php)** | **[FCBarcelona.com](https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/football/first-team/news/3742099/when-and-where-to-watch-fc-barcelona-v-shakhtar-donetsk)**

 

by decho

4 comments

  3. Remember that **this is an early kick-off** so you don’t miss the match.

  4. We’re winning this gentlemen

    ![gif](giphy|4TFL3zizBA9oiBytoS|downsized)

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