Shakhtar Donetsk vs AZ Alkmaar: first leg of the UEFA Conference League quarter-final
In the first leg of the UEFA Conference League quarter-final, Shakhtar will take on AZ Alkmaar. The match will be played on Thursday, April 9, kicking off at 21:00 CET, and I suggest a bet for this fixture.
Shakhtar Donetsk vs AZ Alkmaar: match facts and head-to-head
- Shakhtar have won eight of their last nine matches, losing just one.
- They have scored at least one goal in nine consecutive matches.
- On home soil, Shakhtar have won seven of their last eight games.
- AZ Alkmaar have won four of their previous five matches.
- Away from home, AZ have suffered four defeats in their last five games.
- Shakhtar have recorded clean-sheet wins in 46% of their matches this season, while AZ stand at 35%.
- AZ Alkmaar have lost without scoring more often — 10% of their matches — while Shakhtar have not lost a single game without scoring.
- In 44% of their matches this season, Shakhtar have scored in both halves.
- The last time these teams met was in 2023, when the match ended in a 3:3 draw.
Shakhtar Donetsk vs AZ Alkmaar: match preview
Shakhtar enjoyed a solid league phase campaign, collecting 13 points from six matches and finishing sixth in the UEFA Conference League standings. The Ukrainian side advanced directly to the Round of 16, where they were drawn against Polish side Lech. They came through a tough tie, winning 4:3 on aggregate over two legs. Domestically, the team sit in second place, level on points with the league leaders.
AZ Alkmaar are currently sixth in the Eredivisie table, with 45 points after 29 matches, and are battling for a place in next season’s UEFA Conference League. They still have an outside chance of finishing fifth, trailing that position by five points. In European competition, AZ collected 10 points from six matches in the league phase, finishing 14th. They defeated Noah 4:1 in the previous knockout round, before thrashing Sparta Prague 6:1 on aggregate.
Probable line-ups
- Shakhtar Donetsk: Riznyk; Konoplia, V Bondar, Marlon, Henrique; Nazaryna; Alisson, Pedrinho, Ocheretko, Palmares; Elias
- AZ Alkmaar: Zoet; Kasius, Goes, Penetra, De Wit; Clasie, Smit; Dijkstra, Mijnans, Patati; Parrott
Prediction
A high-stakes encounter for both sides. We should see an entertaining clash between two attack-minded teams, so my pick is both teams to score.
