FC Shakhtar Donetsk and Sporting CP will be aiming to bounce back from their first league-phase defeats in this season's UEFA Champions League when they meet at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.
After collecting four points from their opening two games, Shakhtar were perhaps a little unfortunate to go down 1-0 at Inter last time out, failing to capitalise on their hosts being reduced to 10 men.
Shakhtar's defeat at Stadio San Siro was perhaps to be expected, but Sporting CP's first loss of the campaign was a lot more surprising, as they went down 3-2 on home soil to Austrian champions LASK.
Rui Borges' side still look in a strong position to qualify after winning their opening two games and they can move, temporarily at least, level on points at the top of the standings with victory at Stamford Bridge, where Shakhtar are playing all their home matches during the league phase.
FC Shakhtar Donetsk v Sporting CP Tips Summary
Best Bet - Sporting CP to win @ 1/1
Alternative Bet - Luis Suarez anytime scorer @ 11/10
Bet Builder - Sporting CP to score in both halves, Both teams to score & Alisson Santana 2+ shots @ 5/1
FC Shakhtar Donetsk v Sporting CP Prediction
Best Bet: Sporting CP to win @ 1/1
It was a huge surprise that Sporting CP, who took a fifth-minute lead, ended up losing on home soil to LASK, but the statistics suggest they probably deserved a lot more.
The Lions had 62% possession, fired off 16 shots to their opponents’ 11 and boasted an xG of 3.16 compared to LASK's 1.12.
With a top-eight finish in the league phase for the second successive season the aim, Sporting CP will be determined to bounce back on Tuesday and should prove too strong for Shakhtar.
Sporting CP are unbeaten on their travels this season, claiming four wins and two draws from their six matches, and that includes a 2-0 success at RC Lens in the UEFA Champions League.
Shakhtar do not have home advantage given they are playing at Stamford Bridge, and although they came from behind to beat AEK Athens in their last designated European home fixture, a visit from Sporting CP should represent a step up.
These two sides have only met twice before - during the group stage of the 2008/09 UEFA Champions League - with Sporting CP winning both matches, results that ultimately proved decisive as they pipped Shakhtar to qualification for the knockout stages.
Tuesday's result will not have as much bearing on these two teams' hopes of progressing in the competition, but the Portuguese side should still have enough quality to come out on top.
Alternative Bet: Luis Suarez anytime scorer @ 11/10
Luis Suarez's phenomenal run of scoring in 10 successive matches for Sporting CP may have ended when he drew a blank in Friday's Primeira Liga win at Casa Pia but he remains a man in form.
The Colombia international, who netted 38 goals in his debut season for the club in 2025/26, has 12 in 13 so far this term, including four in three UEFA Champions League appearances.
Two of his four efforts in Europe have come from the penalty spot and his position as Sporting CP's designated spot-kick taker further increases the likelihood of him getting on the scoresheet.
If Sporting CP do score on Tuesday, there is a good chance it will be Suarez wheeling away in celebration.
FC Shakhtar Donetsk v Sporting CP Bet Builder Tip
Sporting CP to score in both halves
Both teams to score
Alisson Santana 2+ shots
Pays 5/1
Sporting CP have scored seven goals across their opening three league-phase matches and a theme of all their European games this season is they have netted in both halves.
The Portuguese giants also scored in the first and second halves of Friday's domestic win at Casa Pia and they can repeat the trick in West London.
That's not to say the Lions will be completely dominant and Shakhtar, who have only failed to score in three of their 15 matches across all competitions this season, can get on the scoresheet.
If Arda Turan's side are to score, then Brazilian winger Alisson Santana is liable to provide the magic.
Alisson is Shakhtar's leading scorer this season with four goals, two of which came in Friday's Ukrainian Premier League win against Obolon Kyiv, while no member of the squad has had more shots in this season's UEFA Champions League than the 21-year-old.
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Key Match Stats
FC Shakhtar Donetsk are playing all their home matches in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League at Stamford Bridge
The Ukrainians sit 17th in the league-phase standings after taking four points from three games
Sporting CP are five places and two points better off than the Ukrainians
Shakhtar have scored in 12 of their 15 matches across all competitions this season
Sporting CP have yet to taste defeat on their travels in 2026/27 (W4, D2)
The Portuguese side have won both previous meetings with Shakhtar, claiming a pair of 1-0 successes during the group stage of the 2008/09 UEFA Champions League
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
