Champions League: Winner takes All in Kharkiv

Shakhtar Donetsk vs Lyon

Group F of the Champions League comes to a climax at the Oblasny Sportkomplex Metalist in Kharkiv on Wednesday…and what a climax!

Yes SBOBET Champions League fans; it will be winner takes all when Shakhtar welcomes Olympique Lyonnais with an inevitably hostile reception. A draw is enough to take the second placed French side through, while the hosts must win. And if Manchester City loses to bottom club Hoffenheim then Lyon could top the group.

It’s all set up to be a pulsating 90 plus minutes with a place in the last 16 the prize, and you can get all the best Shakhtar vs Lyon highlights right here when the final whistle has blown.

Talking Points

Paulo Fonseca had a big act to follow

Since taking over at Shakhtar in 2016, Fonseca has proved himself to be a tactically astute manager, able to maximise the potential of his squad. But Mircea Lucescu was a tough act to follow. The Romanian coach had been at Shakhtar for 12 seasons, leading them to eight Ukrainian league titles.

Fonseca has made a fine start in the Ukrainian hotbed of football though, completing two domestic doubles, qualifying for the Champions League as champions of Ukraine. And this season his side heads the table again but has struggled to keep pace with the leaders in Champions League Group F.

Drawing its first two games with Lyon and then Hoffenheim, Shakhtar has been put to the sword by Manchester City twice, losing 0-3 at home and then 6-0 in a brutal thrashing in Manchester. But a crucial win in Hoffenheim has kept Fonseca’s team in the hunt, Taison scoring the winner in injury time. That was his second goal in the competition, equalling team-mates Ismaily and Junior Moraes.

Draw specialist OL holds the cards

After stunning favourites Manchester City with an opening day 1-2 win at the Etihad Stadium, Lyon has drawn the next four fixtures to remain unbeaten, and they just need one more stalemate to finish the job.

The French are tough cookies with plenty of firepowers. Bruno Genesio’s side has had just one defeat in nine European matches and has scored two or more goals in each of the last six. They have shared the goals around in this year’s competition. Maxwell Cornet has three, with Nabil Fekir on two and Memphis Depay and Moussa Dembele also on the score-sheet. Cornet is a doubt as is right back Leo Dubois.

Only a late Sergio Aguero goal prevented Lyon doing the double over favourites Manchester City, otherwise, they would already be through, and Genesio’s team has developed a bit of a habit of surrendering leads, squandering a two-goal lead against Hoffenheim. But their destiny is still in their own hands.

Champions League: Sergio Aguero denies Lyon win after scoring a late equaliser — Sergio Aguero celebrates after scoring Manchester City’s second goal against Lyon

History

Both Lyon and Shakhtar are European veterans as powerhouses in their own domestic leagues. Lyon is in the group stage for the 15^th time, more than any other Ligue 1 side, while Shakhtar reached the quarterfinals in 2011, and the last 16 last terms; losing to eventual semi-finalists Roma on away goals.

Lyon is unbeaten in this fixture, winning one and drawing two, the last a 2-2 draw in France in October. Shakhtar led that game 0-2 thanks to a brace from Junior Moraes, but Dubois and Dembele snatched a point for Les Gones. The French are good travellers too, losing only one of their last seven away European fixtures, though their last domestic outing was a 0-2 home defeat to Rennes, only their second loss in 17 games.

Meanwhile, Fonseca’s Shakhtar hasn’t lost in five, so these are two teams bang in form.

Betting Tip

	Shakhtar Donetsk vs Lyon	Lyon Asian Handicap +0.25 @ 1.89
	December 13, 04:00 (GMT+8)

This is a really tough game to call, with a place in the Champions League knockout stages the prize, a likely slot in the Europa League for the defeated.

While both teams are on good runs, home advantage means the hosts are odds against, but marginal favourites to win this tie. The Shakhtar vs Lyon betting odds have Shakhtar at odds of 2.33 with Lyon at 2.99 and 3.25 the draw. Lyon’s comfort away from home could be a telling factor and they have plenty of attacking talent to continue their high scoring exploits.

They also travel to Ukraine well rested, their scheduled game against Toulouse postponed as anti-government riots spread through France.

The most likely scoreline is 1-1 at odds of 7.00. But…all ten games played by these two teams in Group F have produced more than 2.5 goals so, for an alternative bet, Over 3.00 goals is available at 1.85.