Crystal Palace vs Shakhtar: prediction, head-to-head stats and probable lineups — 07.05.2026
One of the second-leg semi-finals in the Conference League will take place on Thursday at Selhurst Park in London, where Crystal Palace will host Shakhtar Donetsk. After the English side’s 3-1 win in the first leg, the Ukrainian team will have to take risks from the opening minutes, making this clash especially enticing for those eyeing a high-scoring scenario.
Match preview
For Crystal Palace, the Conference League has become the main focus late in the season: with little left to play for in the Premier League, Oliver Glasner can afford to manage his resources wisely. While the Eagles conceded three goals apiece to Liverpool and Bournemouth in recent league fixtures, their European form has been far more convincing — highlighted by a commanding 3-0 win over Fiorentina and the 3-1 victory against Shakhtar.
Going into the return leg, the Eagles are expected to field a more familiar lineup following recent rotation in the league. The return of Richards, Mitchell, Wharton, Sarr, and Mateta bolsters several lines at once, and Palace’s tactical approach is perfectly suited to the situation: the visitors will control possession and open up spaces, which the hosts are adept at exploiting with rapid transitions. Notably, Palace are unbeaten at home in their last seven matches, conceding just once in that stretch.
Shakhtar, after a painful defeat in the first semi-final, received a crucial emotional boost domestically by beating Dynamo Kyiv 2-1. That victory has all but sealed the league title, allowing Arda Turan to focus the squad fully on a European comeback without worrying about the domestic table.
The Miners’ main dilemma is balancing ball control with defensive security. In the first leg, they enjoyed 71% possession, but it was Palace who made better use of the available space. A worrying trend for Shakhtar: they’ve conceded in six of their last seven matches, often leaving their backline exposed to fast breaks when defending high up the pitch.
Probable lineups
- Crystal Palace: Henderson, Clyne, Lacroix, Richards, Mitchell, Wharton, Kamada, Munoz, Pino, Sarr, Mateta.
- Shakhtar: Riznyk, Bondar, Matviyenko, Tobias, Pedrinho, Gomez, Ocheretko, Santana, Eguinaldo, Elias.
Match facts and head-to-head
- Crystal Palace won the first leg 3-1, giving themselves a comfortable cushion ahead of the return in London.
- Over 2.5 goals were scored in seven of Palace’s last eight matches and nine of Shakhtar’s last ten outings.
- Shakhtar have conceded in six of their last seven matches, including three goals to Palace in the first semi-final.
- Shakhtar Donetsk have covered the +1 handicap in regulation time in their last six Conference League away matches.
- Shakhtar Donetsk have scored in regulation time in each of their last six Conference League away games.
Prediction
Shakhtar have no choice but to push forward and seek an early goal, but that’s exactly the kind of scenario that suits Crystal Palace: Glasner’s team thrives on transition phases and punishing opponents for losing their structure. The Ukrainians have the quality and possession game to find the net, but keeping the Londoners from creating chances will be a tall order.
