Shakhtar Donetsk vs Sheriff Tiraspol Predictions

• Sheriff will finish third and enter the UEFA Europa League knockout play-offs and Shakhtar will finish fourth.
• Shakhtar Donetsk have struggled in home Champions League games, winning only one of four (including qualifiers).
• Sheriff have avoided defeat in Belgrade, Zagreb and Madrid in three of their last four Champions League away games.

Shakhtar too short for Sheriff showdown

Shakhtar Donetsk are facing their final European game of the season when Sheriff Tiraspol, who beat them to third place and the Europa League slot, are the visitors to Kharkiv.

Roberto de Zerbi’s side have been nowhere near good enough in Group D with their 2-0 defeat in Tiraspol back in September setting the tone. It doesn’t take forensic examination of both teams’ results to see that Sheriff have fared much better – winning in Madrid and scoring both home and away against Inter as Shakhtar scored one solitary goal in their five games and earned just one point.

Shakhtar’s favouritism here will be largely based on their greater experience and the perceived home advantage and not current form, although domestically they remain a dominant force.

Visitors should have scored against Madrid

Sheriff are a well-drilled side with some players who look comfortable playing at this level, so shouldn’t be underestimated yet again. A double chance bet appeals here because of how good Sheriff were in the first game in addition to the more impressive displays they put in against the giants of the group. We’re also not forgetting their two excellent away results in Belgrade and Zagreb in qualifying, which nobody saw coming either.

Even though they were beaten 3-0 at home by Real Madrid last time out, Iuriy Vernydub’s side gave the visitors a few scares in the second half. They have scored in the other four games within this group and can do so again here in what we forecast will be a 1-1 draw.