27 September 2021, 10:22 | 28 August 2021, 15:29
The UEFA Champions League Group D fixture, Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Inter Milan, kicks off at 17:45 (GMT+1) on Tuesday, September 28 at the Metalist Stadium. István Kovács (ROU) will be in charge, working alongside Vasile Marinescu (ROU) and Ovidiu Artene (ROU), while Marco Fritz (GER) will be the Video Assistant Referee.
Preview Shakhtar Donetsk Champions League, Sep 28, 2021
Preview Inter Milan picked up a 2-2 draw against Atalanta over the weekend and moved to 3rd place in the domestic league rankings. However, the club lost to Real Madrid on UCL Matchday 1, courtesy of a lone goal by Rodrygo (89’) with a minute left on the clock. The defeat left the Italians in 3rd place in Group D with no points and a slightly better negative goal difference, -1, over Shakhtar. Inzaghi hopes to break the three-time jinx which has seen Inter knocked out of the group phase in the last three consecutive editions of the UEFA Champions League. The club remains undefeated in their last 11 UEFA encounters against Ukrainian sides: W6, D5, 0L. Simone Inzaghi will deploy the 3—5—2 formation with the Bosnian Diamond, Edin Dzeko, and the skillful Argentine forward, Lautaro Martinez, leading the lines against Shakhtar Donetsk. The duo have a combined haul of 9 goals in the Italian domestic league, while Nicolò Barella continues in search of his first assist for the club in the tournament this season after a haul of five in Serie A. Stefano Sensi is ruled out, while Arturo Vidal and Joaquín Correa remain in doubt for this fixture.
Preview Inter Champions League, Sep 28, 2021
Preview Shakhtar Donetsk suffered a 2-0 defeat to FC Sheriff Tiraspol at the Bolshaya Sportivnaya Arena on UCL Matchday 1. The Moldovan side stunned the visitors as goals from the lesser known Adama Traore (16’) and Momo Yansané (62’) carved both sides apart in the star-studded arena of champions after ninety minutes. The defeat sets them at the bottom of Group D, with no points and a G.D. of -2. The club sits in 2nd place on the Ukrainian Premier League table after Saturday's 4-1 win over Veres Rivne. Manager Roberto De Zerbi was confident his side could defeat the Italians. I don’t care whether Inter or Real Madrid are favorites against us, De Zerbi said before the game against Sheriff. I’m also sure we can beat anyone, he added. Perhaps the humbling 2-0 defeat in the hands of Tiraspol left him recounting his words. Despite De Zerbi's earlier braggadocio, he will aim to avoid defeat in the hands of Inter, as a win over the Italians appears to be a near impossible task. A 2-1 victory over Atalanta on the road on Matchday 2 at the 2019/20 edition of the UEFA Champions League is Shakhtar's only success in their last eight encounters against Italian sides (1W, D2, & L5). On Tuesday, a 4—2—3—1 formation with Lassina Traoré at the top of the design is expected against Inter.