European Cup of the week. A decisive moment for Shakhtar and questions of prestige for Dynamo and Vorskla

11.12.2018 15:05

Photo by shakhtar.com

After a two-week pause for Europe, the final matches of the Champions League and Europa League group rounds are expected. Our attention is to Ukrainians.

Champions League

Triple elevator for Shakhtar

Already on Wednesday, December 12, we have to get an answer to the question of whether Shakhtar will win a place in the Champions League playoffs. Moreover, the results of the last game day in Group F will determine whether Paulo Fonseca's team will continue to fight in the 2018/2019 European Cup season.

For the Ukrainian club, the situation is simple: the victory in Kyiv over Lyon guarantees a ticket to the 1/8 finals of the Champions League. In case of a draw or defeat, the Pitmen will either play in the 1/16 finals of the Europa League, or stop playing in the European arena altogether. In this case, everything will depend on the outcome of a parallel match in Manchester.

Factor by Alexander Zinchenko and Yevgeny Konoplyanka

If Manchester City of our Oleksandr Zinchenko does not lose at home to Hoffenheim, Shakhtar will get a XNUMX% place in the European Cup playoffs. Whose? This, as noted above, will depend solely on the Ukrainian club.

Let's not forget to watch the last game in the group round of the Champions League Schalke by Yevhen Konoplyanka. The Ukrainian team will play against Lokomotiv at home. However, for Gelsenkirchen this match is no longer of tournament significance. The Germans will no longer be able to move from their second step in Group D.

Standings groups F

The remaining matches

12.12.2018

Manchester City - Hoffenheim (22.00)

«Shakhtar» - Lyon (22.00)

Europa League

Prestige of Dynamo and Vorskla

Dynamo Kyiv won the fight in the K quartet for the round before the end of the group round, and the home match against the Czech Jablonec will have no tournament significance for Oleksandr Hatskevich's team.

Standings groups К

The remaining matches

13.12.2018

Dynamo - Yablonets (19.55)

Rennes - Astana (19.55)

Photo by Oleg Zhuravlev

Everything is clear, but, unfortunately, with a minus sign, and with "Vorskla". Poltava lost all chances to fight for a place in the playoffs and will now focus on the fight in absentia with "Karabakh" for the third place in the standings.

Standings group E

The remaining matches

13.12.2018

Arsenal - Karabakh (22.00)

Sporting - Vorskla (22.00)

Different tasks of Makarenko and Malinowski

In addition to the matches between Dynamo and Vorskla, we should also pay attention to the matches where the legionnaires of the Ukrainian national team can play. Unfortunately, Yevhen Makarenko's Anderlecht, like Vorskla, will take part only in the local correspondence fight for the third place in Group D with Spartak Trnava. On Thursday, December 13, the Ukrainian team will play away against the winner of the quartet - Zagreb's Dynamo (22.00).

But "Genk" Ruslan Malinowski has every chance to get a ticket to the playoffs. To do this, the Belgians should not lose at home to the Norwegian "Sarpsborg" (19.55) in Group I.

Note. The Kyiv start time of matches is given everywhere.