Shakhtar Donetsk vs AEK Athens Preview: Team News & Prediction | 2026-27 UEFA Champions League | League Phase

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Shakhtar Donetsk are playing their UEFA Champions League home games at Stamford Bridge this season as they begin against Greek champions AEK Athens.

Kick-off date/time: 14 October 2026 at 8:00 pm

How to watch on TV & online: UK – TNT Sports & HBO Max / USA – Paramount+

Shakhtar Donetsk preview: Solid Shakhtar

Shakhtar Donetsk began their UEFA Champions League league phase campaign with a 1-1 draw against PSV Eindhoven last month, taking the lead in the Netherlands via Gleiker Mendoza before Sergino Dest equalised shortly after half-time.

The Ukrainian champions have begun their domestic campaign well once again, winning seven of their eight matches as they sit two points clear of Polissya Zhytomyr and five ahead of Dynamo Kyiv.

AEK Athens preview: Winning start

AEK Athens got their return to the UEFA Champions League off to a winning start with Razvan Marin scoring a free-kick as the only goal of the game in the first half against Austrian outfit LASK in Greece a few weeks ago.

AEK, coached by Marko Nikolic, hammered OFI Crete at the weekend, are unbeaten in their opening seven matches of the campaign as they sit a point behind league leaders Panathinaikos in the Greek Super League.

Shakhtar Donetsk team news: Pedrinho returning

Brazilian attacker Pedrinho is due to return from a hamstring injury in mid-October and so he could be involved but his compatriot and fellow attacker Marlon Santos is still a doubt for Shakhtar. Eguinaldo remains sidelined, too.

Predicted XI (4-1-4-1): Riznyk; Tobias, Bondar, Matvyenko, Henrique; Ocheretko; Santana, Pedrinho, Marlon Gomes, Mendoza; Elias

Unavailable: Azarov (Injured), Eguinaldo (Injured)

Questionable: Marlon Santos (Injured)

AEK Athens team news: Couple of injuries

Former Lazio goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha has picked up a wrist injury and so he is sidelined for AEK, while Hungary international attacker Barnabas Varga is nearing a return from a thigh issue.

Predicted XI (4-4-2): Brignoli; Rota, Moukoudi, Relvas, Pilios; Majer, Marin, Vitalis, Koita; Jovic, Zini

Unavailable: Strakosha (Injured)

Questionable: Varga (Injured)

Shakhtar Donetsk vs AEK Athens prediction

Shakhtar Donetsk do not have their normal home advantage but that has been the case for close to half a decade in European competition now and yet they have continued to be competitive and punch above their weight as their squad begins to evolve to a quality that it once was at. AEK will themselves seek to be resolute here and it could be quite a cagey affair in which a low-scoring contest appears relatively likely.

Shakhtar Donetsk vs AEK Athens Tip: Under 2.5 goals