The qualifying rounds for the 2021/22 UEFA Champions League continue this week and we have reached the playoff stage of the competition. This is the final round of fixtures before the lucrative group stages and it is a huge couple weeks for every team involved.
On Tuesday the 17th of August we have a meeting between Monaco and Shakhtar Donetsk at the Stade Louis II.
✈️ Monaco is calling, it's time to go!⚒ Show that you are with us, wish good luck to the team 🧡🔜 #ASMShakhtar in the @ChampionsLeague! 🔥#Shakhtar #UCL pic.twitter.com/j0kWk3OFps— FC SHAKHTAR ENGLISH (@FCShakhtar_eng) August 16, 2021
✈️ Monaco is calling, it's time to go!⚒ Show that you are with us, wish good luck to the team 🧡🔜 #ASMShakhtar in the @ChampionsLeague! 🔥#Shakhtar #UCL pic.twitter.com/j0kWk3OFps
Monaco come into the match on the back of a 1-0 defeat against Lorient away from home in Ligue 1 on the weekend. It was a disappointing result for Monaco and they fell behind in the 31st minute from the penalty spot and could not get back into the game.
That result means Monaco have made a poor start to Ligue 1 this season having previously been held to a 1-1 draw at home by Nantes. They find themselves down in 14th place in the topflight but there is plenty of time remaining in the season.
In terms of Champions League qualification, Monaco started in the third qualifying round against Sparta Prague. They recorded a good 2-0 victory in the away leg and finish the job by beating the Czech club 3-1 at home, to win 5-1 on aggregate.
You must go back to 2018 to find the last time Monaco participated in the Champions league and aside from the victories in the third qualifying round this season, their recent record is poor. Monaco have won only one of their last 8 home Champions League fixtures, losing each of the other 7 games.
Shakhtar Donetsk make the trip to France having defeated Metalist 1925 Kharkiv 2-0 in the Ukraine Premier League on the weekend. With the score 0-0 at half time, Shakhtar Donetsk came out and opened the scoring early in the second half and secured the points thanks to a second goal at the end of the game.
That result means that Shakhtar Donetsk have won 5 of their 6 competitive matches this season. That includes a Champions League third qualifying round tie against Genk of Belgium. Shakhtar Donetsk won the first led 2-1 away from home, coming from behind to win the game and recorded the same scoreline at home in the second leg.
Shakhtar Donetsk are undefeated in their last 4 Champions League games and gave a good account of themselves in the group stages last season, beating Real Madrid twice and holding Inter Milan to a draw home and away.
Team news and Monaco could be without Benoît Badiashile and Benjamin Lecomte, although both players have a chance of being fit. Aleksandr Golovin, Caio Henrique and Wissam Ben Yedder were benched on the weekend but should start the match.
Shakhtar Donetsk travel with doubts over the fitness of Brazilian attacker Pedrinho. Lassina Traoré has made a good goal scoring start to the season and should play up front.
Monaco have been in poor form domestically while Shakhtar Donetsk have plenty of Champions League experience. The Ukrainian team will hold no fear of travelling to the Stade Louis II and could come away with a comfortable win ahead of the second leg.