Prediction: Shakhtar Donetsk vs Besiktas

Verdict: Away win

Best odds: 2/1

Bookmaker: Olympusbet

Shakhtar Donetsk head into Thursday’s second leg of their Europa League second qualifying round clash against Besiktas with a strong advantage.

The Ukrainian side claimed an impressive 4-2 victory in Istanbul last week, positioning themselves as clear favourites to advance and set up a meeting with either Rangers or Panathinaikos in the following round.

Shakhtar Donetsk

Shakhtar Donetsk will go into Thursday’s second leg of their Europa League Second Qualifying Round tie with a strong advantage, having claimed a thrilling 4-2 away victory over Besiktas in Istanbul last week. That result puts the Ukrainian giants in the driver’s seat to progress to the next round, where they would face either Rangers or Panathinaikos.

Widely regarded as the standout tie of the round, the first-leg clash in Turkey delivered plenty of drama, featuring six goals and swinging in Shakhtar’s favour. Under the guidance of new manager Arda Turan, the Ukrainian outfit were spearheaded by their Brazilian players, with Kevin netting a crucial goal in the 96th minute to extend their lead to two goals ahead of the return fixture in neutral Krakow.

Since the Russian invasion began, Shakhtar have faced numerous challenges, including the loss of key players and a decline in Ukraine’s UEFA coefficient. That drop meant they had to start their European campaign in the first qualifying round this season, despite winning the Ukrainian Cup last term. However, they had little trouble dispatching Finnish side Ilves, winning the tie 6-0 on aggregate.

Shakhtar’s domestic season does not begin until August 3, when they take on Episentr, allowing them to focus entirely on European fixtures for now.

Team News

Turan is expected to name an unchanged lineup after the strong first-leg display.

Alisson, who has been in outstanding form so far in Europe, has already scored three goals and provided five assists in just two matches. Defender Marlon has rejoined the club on a free transfer from LAFC, having previously left following the outbreak of war in 2022, but he is unlikely to be involved due to limited match fitness.

Besiktas

Besiktas, whose Turkish Super Lig opener against Kayserispor comes a week later, also have only Europe to worry about right now, though their continental ambitions could be ended before then.

Missing out on third place to Samsunspor meant Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side had to begin their campaign in the second qualifying round rather than entering directly at the playoff stage — and they were given a tough draw to start with.

Last season, they overcame Lugano 8-4 on aggregate to book their place in the league phase of the Europa League, and they will need another goal-filled performance to overturn the current deficit.

Given the significant investments made in the transfer window, crashing out of the competition at this early stage would be a major setback, placing considerable pressure on the visiting team ahead of Thursday’s clash.

Team News

Orkun Kokcu made his first appearance for the club in last week’s first leg after his arrival from Benfica — a signing that underlined the Besiktas board’s ambitious intentions — and he will be expected to play a central role as they attempt to mount a comeback.

Tammy Abraham, brought in to replace Ciro Immobile, also found the net on his debut last week, and the visitors will be hoping for another big showing from the English forward.

Conclusion

Shakhtar have played some attractive football in recent weeks, having scored four goals in the first leg of this tie after previously putting six past Ilves in the opening leg of the previous round, suggesting another goal-filled contest may be on the cards.

Besiktas were seen as narrow favourites coming into the matchup, and with Shakhtar playing away from home once again, the Turkish side may feel they still have a slim opportunity — though the challenge of progressing past this stage now appears to be beyond them.

Verdict: Away win

Best odds: 2/1

Bookmaker: Olympusbet