HAROLD HECKLE
Associated Press
MADRID (AP) — Shakhtar Donetsk will host its first Champions League match in Lviv on Tuesday when FC Porto travels to war-torn Ukraine.
Forced to play in the western city because of the conflict in Donetsk, Shakhtar will be looking for its first win in Group H after an opening 0-0 draw at Athletic Bilbao.
Porto beat BATE Borisov 6-0 in its opener.
In Tuesday’s other group match, BATE Borisov hosts Bilbao.
Here are some things to know about this week’s games in Group H:
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HOME BUT AWAY
Culturally, Lviv is the complete opposite of Donetsk — a rural, Ukrainian-speaking nationalist city, while Shakhtar’s hometown is heavily industrial and Russian-speaking.
So Porto might have more support than Shakhtar on Tuesday.
The conflict in Ukraine has cost Shakhtar some top players. But Shakhtar still started the Ukrainian league season with seven straight wins before losing to Zorya Luhansk 1-0 on Sept. 21. The team, however, recovered some form on Thursday with a cup win.
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UNSADDLING THE MUSTANG
Ricardo Quaresma’s return to Porto in last January’s transfer window after six years as a journeyman was welcome news, but coach Julen Lopetegui left Quaresma off the squad for Porto’s trip to Donetsk after replacing him at halftime in last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Sporting.
Quaresma, nicknamed the Mustang for his irreverent temperament, hasn’t tried to conceal his dismay at his failure to secure a regular berth.
In a Champions League playoff against Lille, Lopetegui brought on Quaresma in the 89th minute and, when the player made clear he was peeved, the coach dropped him for the next game.
With the former Inter Milan player staying at home, Lopetegui, who landed in Lviv late Sunday with 19 players, will likely turn to Colombian playmaker Juan Quintero. Brazilian center back Maicon returns from suspension.
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STRUGGLING ATHLETIC
With five straight losses and one 0-0 draw, Bilbao is struggling in the Spanish league. In the Champions League, things aren’t much better after an opening 0-0 draw against Shakhtar.
Bilbao coach Ernesto Valverde needs a good win to secure his tenure. He is traveling to the Borisov Arena with a full-strength team — only minus 20-year-old midfielder Ager Aketxe, who has a broken toe.
Bilbao will face a team that leads its league with three draws and one 6-0 win over Naftan, but also has the memory of a 6-0 Champions League rout at Porto.
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HOMEGROWN STAR
Shakhtar’s top scorer this season is striker Olexandr Gladkiy with six goals in nine games in all competitions.
That’s unusual for Shakhtar, a team that is normally dominated by South American talent.
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UNBEATEN STREAK
BATE is on a 23-match unbeaten streak in its domestic league, but has lost all eight previous matches against Spanish clubs.
However, given Bilbao’s poor recent form, coach Aleksandr Yermakovich is eyeing a first group stage win in the Champions League win since his club defeated Bayern Munich 3-1 in October 2012.
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Associated Press writer Barry Hatton in Lisbon, Portugal, contributed to this report.
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