Shakhtar vs Ilves prediction, H2H and probable lineups — July 10, 2025
On Thursday, July 10, in the first qualifying round of the 2025/26 UEFA Europa League, Shakhtar Donetsk will face Ilves. Kick-off is scheduled for 21:00 Central European Time. My bet focuses on the individual goal tally of one of the teams.
Key facts and head-to-head history
- This will be Shakhtar's first Europa League qualifying campaign since 2016.
- Ilves are making their eighth appearance in European competitions in club history.
- Due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, Shakhtar will play their home leg in the Slovenian capital, Ljubljana.
- This is the first time Shakhtar will face a Finnish side in European competition.
- Ilves have never previously played against Ukrainian opponents.
Match preview
Shakhtar are 15-time Ukrainian champions and have dominated the domestic Premier League in recent years, also making regular appearances in the Champions League. However, last season turned out to be their most disappointing in recent memory, as the Donetsk side finished only third. Shakhtar secured their Europa League spot thanks to a dramatic Ukrainian Cup triumph, beating Dynamo Kyiv in a penalty shootout.
Poor results forced the club to part ways with head coach Marino Pušić. In his place, Shakhtar appointed legendary former Atlético and Barcelona midfielder Arda Turan, who recently impressed as manager of Turkish side Eyüpspor. However, Shakhtar have yet to make any significant moves in the transfer market this summer.
Ilves are a modest club from Finland who finished third in the domestic league last season. For the Tampere outfit, this is a major achievement, as they've only qualified for European competition four times this century. However, Ilves are still searching for their first Europa League win.
Unlike Shakhtar, the "Lynxes" are in full competitive rhythm, as the Finnish league follows a spring-to-autumn schedule. After 15 rounds, Ilves sit third, just one point behind leaders Inter Turku. In their previous match, Ilves drew away at SJK, having defeated KTP 2-1 at home before that.
Probable lineups
- Shakhtar: Riznyk, Vinicius Tobias, Bondar, Matviyenko, Pedrinho, Marlon Gomes, Bondarenko, Sudakov, Alisson, Kevin, Eguinaldo
- Ilves: Virtanen, Mäenpää, Miettunen, Rale, Wallius, Veteli, Popović, Jukkola, Sederbeck, Akinyemi, Ala-Myllymäki
Shakhtar vs Ilves prediction
Shakhtar are clear favourites in this tie, but the lack of match fitness could make things tricky against a side that knows how to defend with discipline. My prediction: Shakhtar will score fewer than three goals in this match.
