Wednesday night we take on Shakhtar Donetsk for the first time in club history. In the first four duels of the league phase, we have collected five points. That is one point more than the Ukrainian opponent.
Coach Marino Pusic's team had a strong start in Europe's biggest club tournament. In their first match, Shakhtar Donetsk cleverly held Bologna FC to a draw in an away match. This was followed by defeats against two strong opponents: Atalanta BC won 3-0 and Arsenal also proved too strong, resulting in a 1-0 defeat. In the last match, however, the Ukrainians revenged with a handsome 2-1 victory over BSC Young Boys.
Competition
In Ukraine's Premjer Liha, the upcoming opponent is currently third, behind record champion Dynamo Kiev and Oleksandria. Last season, Shakhtar Donetsk and Dynamo Kiev fought an exciting title battle, with Shakhtar Donetsk becoming champions in the second-to-last round of play after a victory over its rival.
Positive balance
Although PSV has never played against Shakhtar Donetsk before, the club does have a positive record against Ukrainian opponents in the UEFA Champions League. Of the four matches, PSV won two, drew once and lost once. All four were group matches against Dynamo Kiev.
Unbeaten
PSV is already 46 home games unbeaten in all competitions, including 12 European games. The last European home defeat dates back to Aug. 24, 2022, when Rangers FC won 1-0 in the preliminary round of the UEFA Champions League. Since then, PSV has recorded seven wins and played five draws. The most recent triumph dates from three weeks ago: 4-0 victory against Girona FC. The biggest home win in the tournament ever.
