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Bologna will entertain Shakhtar Donetsk at Stadio Renato Dall'Ara in their UEFA Champions League campaign opener on Wednesday. The hosts will make their debut in the elite European competition while Shakhtar will play for the 19th time.
The Rossoblù have endured a winless start to their season and have drawn three of their four Serie A games thus far. They resumed their league campaign after the international break with a 2-2 away draw at Como last week. Substitute Santiago Castro was the match hero as he halved the deficit in the 76th minute and assisted Samuel Iling-Junior's stoppage-time equalizer.
The visitors resumed their Ukrainian Premier League campaign after the break with an impressive 5-2 home win over Karpaty Lviv. Artem Bondarenko bagged a hat-trick while Oleksandr Zubkov had a goal and an assist to his name.
Bologna vs Shakhtar Donetsk Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- The two teams will meet for the first time. This will be the first competitive meeting against a Ukrainian opponent for the Rossoblù. Shakhtar, meanwhile, have met Italian teams 31 times in all competitions.
- The visitors have won just seven of their 31 meetings against Italian teams while suffering 19 defeats.
- Shakhtar have been eliminated from the group stage of the Champions League in their last six appearances in the competition.
- Bologna have drawn their last five competitive home games.
- Shakhtar Donetsk have won just two of their last nine away games in the group stage of the Champions League while suffering six losses. They have conceded at least two goals in seven games in that period.
- Shkahtar are winless in their last eight meetings against Italian teams in European competitions while suffering five losses.
Bologna vs Shakhtar Donetsk Prediction
The Rossoblù have been winless in their first four games of the season, conceding seven goals, and will look to improve upon that record. They have drawn their two home games thus far. They will make their Champions League debut at home and are expected to put up a strong display.
Dan Ndoye was on the bench against Como last week and should return to the starting XI. Lewis Ferguson and Oussama El Azzouzi trained separately from the group while Nicolò Cambiaghi is a long-term absentee following an ACL injury.
The Miners have been a bit inconsistent, with two wins and as many losses in their last four games. They have won just two of their 16 away meetings against Italian teams, which is a cause for concern.
Considering the current form of the two teams and Shakhtar's poor away record in the Champions League group stage, a draw will likely ensue.
Prediction: Bologna 2-2 Shakhtar Donetsk
Bologna vs Shakhtar Donetsk Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result - Draw
Tip 2: Goals - Over/Under 2.5 Goals - Over 2.5 goals
Tip 3: At least one goal to be scored in the second half - Yes
Tip 4: Oleksandr Zubkov to score or assist any time - Yes
