Champions League44 min ago1 minute read

Shakhtar Donetsk Move Champions League Games to Stamford Bridge

Shakhtar Donetsk will play four Champions League home matches at Stamford Bridge in London this season.

The EagleEyeOdds deskWritten from the match data, checked against our model before it goes out

London Calling for Shakhtar

Shakhtar Donetsk will play their Champions League matches in west London this season. The Ukrainian side will host AEK Athens at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, nearly 1,700 miles away from their home city of Donetsk.

Shakhtar have not played at their own Donbas Arena since 2014. In domestic competitions, they have largely used the Lviv Arena, which sits 600 miles away from Donetsk. Due to security reasons linked to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the club needed a new location for four home matches in the league phase of the Champions League.

Recent European games took place in Poland, Slovenia, and Germany. The club was linked with Brentford before agreeing terms with Chelsea. London also has a strong local connection, as the 2021 UK census recorded roughly 19,000 people born in Ukraine living across the capital.

Chelsea Open Their Doors

Chelsea can host the matches because they have no European fixtures this season. The team finished 10th in the Premier League, citing their failure to qualify as part of the reason to welcome Shakhtar.

Chelsea were previously owned by Roman Abramovich for 20 years. The Russian oligarch had to sell the club in 2022 under pressure from UK government sanctions after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Stamford Bridge will stage four European games for the Ukrainian team. After AEK Athens on October 14, Shakhtar face Sporting CP on November 3, Fenerbahce on November 25, and Real Madrid on January 27. FC Shakhtar called the move a special opportunity and thanked Chelsea for letting them use a venue with famous history and atmosphere.

What it means for the next game

Shakhtar Donetsk vs AEK Athens (Champions League, Wed, 14 Oct): Shakhtar Donetsk win 34%, draw 28%, AEK Athens win 39%; expected goals 1.26 to 1.37. Our safest pick: Over 1.5 goals.

Everton vs Chelsea (Premier League, Sat, 17 Oct): Everton win 34%, draw 26%, Chelsea win 40%; expected goals 1.41 to 1.52. Our safest pick: Over 1.5 goals.