Shakhtar Donetsk host AEK Athens at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday 14 October, kick-off 8pm UK, in the Champions League league stage. AEK have not conceded in the competition so far, while Shakhtar arrive on a run of three straight wins, and the prices reflect how little there is between them: Shakhtar are 2.63 at bet365, AEK 2.60, the draw 3.50.
Shakhtar Donetsk sit 18th of 36 in the league stage table with a point from one game, after a 1-1 draw with PSV. Since then they have won three on the bounce at home and away in Ukraine, taking Chornomorets 2-0, LNZ Cherkasy 3-0 and then Veres 3-0 on the road. They have won eight of their last ten in all competitions.
Both teams scored in their Champions League opener against PSV. They pick up cards at a high rate, six a game in the competition, and commit 15 fouls a game.
AEK Athens are 16th with three points from one game, having beaten LASK Linz 1-0 on 8 September. That followed a 4-0 home win over Levski Sofia and a 0-0 draw away to them in qualifying, so they have kept three clean sheets in a row in this competition.
At the other end AEK score 1.67 a game, while Shakhtar's attack is thinner on the numbers: 1 goal a game and 2 shots on target a game.
Shakhtar Donetsk possible starting lineup:
Riznyk; VinÃcius Tobias, Bondar, Matvienko, Pedro Henrique; Gomes, Ocheretko; Alisson, Pedrinho, Mendoza; Kauã Elias
AEK Athens possible starting lineup:
Brignoli; Rota, Moukoudi, Relvas, Pilios; Marin, Vitális, Majer; Zini, Koita, Jović
Aboubakary Koita is the AEK forward to follow. He has had two or more shots in four of his last five games, with 4, 7, 3, 2 and 1 across them, an average of 3.4, and two shots is 1.33 at bet365.
Răzvan Marin has had a shot in four of his last five, including 3 in the latest, and one shot is 1.40 at bet365.
Oleg Ocheretko has committed a foul in each of his last five games, always exactly one, and a foul is 1.20 at bet365 with 1.30 at midnite.
Valeriy Bondar at one foul or more is 1.44, and the defender is among the more likely foul-committers on either side. Lazaros Rota has made two or more tackles in four of his last five, with 2, 4, 2, 0 and 2, and the same line is 1.44.
The best prices at bet365 are Shakhtar Donetsk 2.63, the draw 3.50 and AEK Athens 2.60, so this is as open as a three-way market gets. Both teams to score is 1.67, over 1.5 goals is 1.29 and over 2.5 is 1.91.
| Market | Best price | Statz chance |
|---|---|---|
| Shakhtar Donetsk to win | 2.63 (bet365) | - |
| Draw | 3.50 (bet365) | - |
| AEK Athens to win | 2.60 (bet365) | - |
| Both teams to score | 1.67 (bet365) | - |
| Over 2.5 goals | 1.91 (bet365) | - |
Chris Kavanagh takes charge. In four games this season his matches have averaged 5 yellow cards and 27.25 fouls.
For a three-leg bet builder, Ocheretko to commit a foul, Marin to have a shot and Koita to have two or more shots comes to 3.22 combined.
With Shakhtar's attack among the quieter and AEK yet to concede in the competition, the cleaner picture is a tight one in which a draw is in play. We make it Shakhtar Donetsk 1-1 AEK Athens.