Shakhtar Donetsk vs Wolfsburg Predictions, Betting Tips and Match Previews

Having coasted to the Ukrainian championship this season, in-form Shakhtar Donetsk turn their attentions to the continental endeavours this week with the second leg of their Europa League Last 16 tie with Bundesliga side Wolfsburg.

With the squad’s heavy Brazilian influence key, Shakhtar topped the Premier League in their homeland by a whopping 23 points this season, and it was two of their boys from Brazil, that made the difference in Donetsk’s 2-1 first leg triumph over Die Wolfe back in March.

Júnior Moraes and Marcos Antonio hit The Miners goals on that occasion in an impressive victory on German soil, and Shakhtar went on to win seven of their 10 competitive matches since, drawing twice and losing just once during a momentum building stretch.

Wolfsburg have it all to do

In contrast, Wolfsburg will arrive in the Ukraine a little low on confidence this week after they limped to a 7^th place finish in the Bundesliga.

Die Wolfe closed out their domestic campaign in frustratingly inconsistent form, winning four, drawing one and losing four of their final nine matches of the season.

It’s worth noting that Oliver Glasner’s men did most of their best work on their travels in the season’s climactic period, though Wolfsburg should struggle to replicate their fine domestic form on the road against a Shakhar side that were beaten just twice on their own patch since October 2018.

Donetsk to finish the job

Shakhtar’s incredible consistency at home is both worth expanding on and taking advantage of in the betting markets this week, especially at the generous prices available.

Since October 2018, Donetsk have played 35 fixtures on home soil in multiple competitions, and only Manchester City (September ’19) and Atalanta (Dec ’19) managed to turn them over.

Since February, The Miners played eight competitive matches at home, winning seven of them and drawing the other – and we expect Shakhtar to enhance that superb record further on Wednesday.

With their irresistible home form impossible to ignore, Donetsk are favoured to win their second leg this week, while our correct score prediction points towards a 2-1 Shakhtar victory.

Wolfsburg look like finishing on the wrong end of the final score in the Ukraine, though the potent counter attackers have scored in 100% of their Europa League fixtures this term, and we expect them to notch a consolation.

Shakhtar scored exactly two goals in each of their last two UEL home assignments, and another brace on Wednesday should see them complete the job to book their place in the tournament’s quarter finals