BATE BORISOV V ATHLETIC BILBAO
Athletic will be eager to get back to winning ways when they become the first visitors to BATE’s new Borisov Arena in a Champions League group game. Sixteen years on from their last appearance at this stage of the competition, Athletic kicked off in Group H by drawing 0-0 with Shakhtar Donetsk two weeks ago. They have had a poor start to the season in La Liga, but the Basque club’s coach Ernesto Valverde said: “This is another competition, in which we are still unbeaten, and we will go out looking for a victory as always.”
BATE may dominate in Belarus but their difficulties in adapting to this level were laid bare in a 6-0 trouncing at the hands of Porto on matchday one
SHAKHTAR DONETSK V FC PORTO
Shakhtar’s status as one of the emerging powers in the European game has been diminished by the bloody conflict that continues to rage around their home in Donetsk in eastern Ukraine. Their state-of-the-art Donbass Arena was last month damaged by shell fire and they are now forced to host Porto in Lviv, over 1,000 kilometres away in the west of the country.
Despite the disruption, Mircea Lucescu’s side lie second in their domestic league and drew 0-0 at Athletic Bilbao two weeks ago. However, they will face a stern test from Porto, whose unbeaten start to the campaign includes a 6-0 win against BATE. Julen Lopetegui’s side will be without the injured Ricardo Quaresma and Casemiro for the trip east.
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