That imperious form hasn’t been replicated in Europe as yet, although glimpses of their quality have been on show throughout the group stages. Celtic impressed for large periods of their 2-0 home defeat to Leipzig, but the clinical nature of their opposition - and Celtic’s profligacy - proved the difference.
"Sometimes you can distract your brain from the situation, watch football and support your team. " The midfielder was in Ukraine when the Russian invasion started in February and can remember it vividly. "I got up at five in the morning and saw the first explosions on a factory or something like that, " he says. "I thought something had happened as my house was near a military base.
Celtic vs Shakhtar Donetsk match preview Celtic will go no further than the group stages in the Champions League despite some impressive performances, notably against Real Madrid at Celtic Park. A third-place finish and Europa League football remains a slim possibility, though. The Scottish Premiership champions need a victory against Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday night to keep those hopes alive. In the end, a tough group has proved too much for Celtic on their return to the Champions League after ten years without qualifying. But there is still pride to play for at the very least and Parkhead should be no less atmospheric for the visit of Shakhtar, who suffered a blow to their hopes of qualification by conceding a late equaliser to Real Madrid last time out. Igor Jovicevic’s team have continued to play with consummate professionalism amid further escalation of the war in Ukraine, with some domestic matches postponed and home games played in Poland.
I thought it was military preparations. But then we started to read the news and check our phones. We realised the war had started. " Stepanenko was among a number of players who were able to leave the country, managing to flee with his young children, carrying just a suitcase. Following their escape, Shakhtar played a number of charity matches in Europe before returning to Ukraine for the start of the country's Premier League season.
"It's quite difficult because usually you don't have time to recover. " Many of the players in the squad have risen through the ranks of Shakhtar's academy after most of the club's foreign players left at the start of the invasion, with a contingent of 15 dropping to three. "The academy players feel the spirit of the club, they feel the commitment of being citizens of Ukraine and they are like one collective, " Stepanenko says. "We're like a big family. " It's hoped that the Champions League will also help bring attention back to the ever-changing situation in Ukraine. "We try to play football for our country.
Shakhtar’s scheduled league game against Mynai was postponed at the weekend, but their form has been strong despite repeated interruptions to the fixture list. The 1-1 draw with Real Madrid - which was seconds away from being a famous victory - was followed by a 3-1 win over Dynamo Kyiv in the Ukrainian Premier League and a 3-0 win against Kolos. Celtic vs Shakhtar: Last time they met The last meeting between the two sides came back in September when Mykhaylo Mudryk cancelled out an early own goal from Artem Bondarenko. Before then, the clubs had not met since 2007, when Celtic came out on top with a 2-1 win at Celtic Park in the Champions League group stages.
Celtic vs Shakhtar Donetsk Live Stream & Prediction, H2H Celtic vs Shakhtar Donetsk Predictions, Preview and Betting Tips. Back a draw between Celtic and Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions
Celtic vs Shakhtar Donetsk - UEFA Champions League The match will be shown live on BT Sport 3. Promoted Stories. When is the game and can I live stream