FC Shakhtar Donetsk Picks - 2018-19 Champions League Lines

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FC Shakhtar Donetsk UEFA Champions League Odds

Unlike many of the other clubs that are now mainstays in the Champions League, it’s been a recent ascent to power for Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk. The club got its start in the 1930s and spent most of its history playing in the Soviet Top League. Shakhtar Donetsk was never able to win a league title during their time in that league, but they were able to find success in the Soviet Cup. The club won the trophy in 1961, 1962, 1980, and 1983.

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the Ukrainian Premier League was founded and Shakhtar Donetsk became one of the league’s founding members. It took the club a while to get its feet under it, but they have dominated the league over the last two decades. Shakhtar has won 11 of the last 17 league championships, and they have supplanted Dynamo Kyiv as the top team in Ukraine.

Shakhtar Donetsk’s success extends to other domestic competitions as well. The club has won 12 Ukrainian Cups since the competition was founded in 1992, and they have been able to claim eight Ukrainian Super Cups as well.

Only a handful of Eastern European clubs have been able to win a European trophy, but Shakhtar Donetsk was able to accomplish the feat back in 2009. Shakhtar was originally placed in the Champions League that season, but they finished third in a strong group that included Barcelona and Sporting Lisbon. The club made its way past Tottenham Hotspur, CSKA Moscow, and Marseille for a pivotal clash with fellow Ukrainian club Dynamo Kyiv for a spot in the Europa League Final. Shakhtar was able to upend Dynamo Kyiv 3-2 on aggregate and then knock off Werder Bremen in extra time in the final to win their one and only Europa League title to date.

Odds on Shakhtar Donetsk to win the 2018-19 UEFA Champions League: +15000

FC Shakhtar Donetsk in European Football

It’s been a tumultuous last few seasons for Shakhtar Donetsk. The War in Donbass has wreaked havoc on Ukraine as a whole, and Shakhtar has been affected as well. The war forced the club to move to Lviv, where they played for a few seasons before finding a permanent home in Kharkiv. Shakhtar has played the last two seasons in Kharkiv, which is about 150 miles north of Donetsk and lessens the home crowd atmosphere.

Over the last decade, Shakhtar has developed a number of young talents. The club has been unable to hold onto them long-term, but selling them to other European clubs for high prices has helped keep them competitive as they re-invest in the club. Shakhtar has sold Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Fernandinho, Willian, Luiz Adriano, and Fred over the last five seasons, getting a mint in return for those players. They have been especially keen on acquiring up-and-coming Brazilian players, and they will likely lean on some of those players in the Champions League.

This offseason, the club acquired two young Brazilian players that they are hoping to turn into the next generation of stars. Central midfielder Maycon is a tantalizing prospect, and Fernando is a left wing that can grow into his role. Those two are already getting playing time as the Ukrainian Premier League starts earlier than almost every other European League.

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