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Champions League Preview: Bayern Munich-Shakhtar Donetsk

By Francesco Pellegrino

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It’s very easy to write-off the Ukranian champions, Shakhtar Donetsk, in the Champions League seeing as how they are facing the Bavarians, Bayern Munich.  Yet, they are a team that have proven yearly that they are built for the big stage against any of the “top dogs” in the tournament.  The matchup to watch is the showdown between Mircea Lucescu and Pep Guardiola.  There is a team backed by one of the most stable financial situations in all of UEFA, Bayern Munich.  North of Germany we have the Ukranians filled with some of the most sought after talents in all of Europe with the know-how to win big games.

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Pep Guardiola went into Ukraine in the first leg with the hopes of getting an away goal, but Lucescu did not field a team ready to forfeit that dreaded goal.  Instead he sent out his typical 4-2-3-1 and played his counter-attack against the Bavarians.  How do you compete against such a well-oiled machine like Bayern Munich?  You play as aggressive and tight to your opponents as the human body can withstand.  This will force F.C. Hollywood into making mistakes that will play right into Shakhtar’s lap and when Shakhtar can force a mistake out of their opponents it is then that they are one of the most lethal forces on the continent.  They are built to counter their opponents as we have seen in the most recent years.  The effectiveness of this counter will depend on the energy levels that players such as: Douglas Costa, Alex Teixeira, Luiz Adriano, and Bernard.  If these four talents can keep their tempo high and slot into the center of the field attacking Dante in particular straight on then they should be able to get on the scoreboard with the coveted away goal.

Bayern Munich are expected to put Shakhtar to the sword at the Allianz Arena where they are more than just a force to be reckoned with at home.  Pep Guardiola was brought into Bavaria to bring back the coveted Champions League trophy to Germany.  In a year that saw the German National team hoist the World Cup trophy for the fourth time in their history this would just be the icing on the cake for the Bundesliga and German FA.  Most of the soccer world already accepts that the Germans have been the hottest team of the tournament and haven’t hit their final gear yet either.  That’s the scariest thing to factor if you are Shakhtar or a fan of the Ukranians.

Who will Pep field at home?

Lewandowski hasn’t really been a staple in Pep’s lineups and it’s even reported he could be out of the club at the end of the season. Pep isn’t likely to be throwing Lewandowski into this game and it’s very clear that he is going to continue to use Mario Gotze as a striker yet again.  The vacancy left by Xabi Alonso should be an automatic ninety minutes for Bastian Schweinsteiger in his place.  Let’s be serious for a second how could you not start Bastian regardless of Xabi’s status in a game like this at home?  The Bayern Munich colors run through his veins since he was just a boy.  Robben and Ribery are a certainty for this matchup as they will need to keep the pace with the agile and aggressive players of Donetsk.  Thomas Muller will be playing behind Gotze in attack where he is most consistent.

Thomas Muller, is a name that has become synonymous with scoring some of the biggest goals in recent history.  Here is a kid that stepped on stage to the most critical of eyes and it never mattered what the stage was because he constantly delivered.   Pep loves players of Muller’s type and tomorrow’s game will remind everybody why Muller will be the all-time leading goal scorer in the history of the World Cup when things are all said and done unless an unfortunate injury should strike forcing him out, but we won’t even think about that!  In the case that most people forget well here is a kind reminder as he is only 25 years of age.

Bayern don’t have the most athletic of center-backs and that’s why the 4-2-3-1 that Lucescu fields weekly in a counter-attack philosophy will be the biggest struggle for Bayern Munich.  This will have to be a game of perfection by the Germans.  The driven pace of the attackers in Shakhtar’s lineup will force Dante and Benatia into fouls that will give Shakhtar possession deep in Bayern’s attacking half.  It’s certainly the center of the defense that Bayern will find their weakness.  The Ukranians aren’t know for an aerial game and the quick ball movement to the inside from all the Brazilians will hurt Bayern more than the average fan or viewer will choose to believe.

No question about it that Bayern Munich will be dominating possession for the greater portions of this game and even break double-digits in shots, but how often do we see teams in such positions fall short?  Too often and in fact it will surprise many, but be a very good possibility in tomorrow’s game as well.  Things I keep hearing is Bayern Munich will slam the hammer down on Shakhtar, but I implore the readers, fans, pundits, and soccer gods to really examine this Shakhtar team.  See how they are filled with 12 Ukranians, 13 Brazilians, and one Croatian (Captain, Darijo Srna).

It wouldn’t be fair to predict this match, but instead it is fair to be excited to watch what will certainly be a game of chess with two masterminds in the game game at the center of the stage, Lucescu versus Guardiola.

Prediction: Pep Guardiola will dress-to-impress as per usual.

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