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Shakhtar Donetsk are set to undertake a tiring journey by road to face Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday (November 7) night.
Due to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, Shakhtar are forced to play their home games away from their home stadium, NSC Olimpiyskiy. The Volksparkstadion in Hamburg, Germany, has been their 'home' in Europe. That's where Barcelona visit on Tuesday to face the Miners for matchday four of the group stage.
Shakhtar's journey to reach Hamburg is a testing one, having to undertake a gruelling 11-hour journey by bus. Spanish journalist Toni Juanmarti has revealed their entire journey on X. He wrote:
"Due to the war in Ukraine, Shakhtar have to travel 11 hours by bus to Hamburg on matchdays. Almost 3 hours from Lviv to Rzeszow, 3 hours at the border, 3 hours waiting at Rzeszow airport, 1 hour and a half to Lubeck and 1 hour to Hamburg."
With Ukraine closing its entire airspace to all civil traffic from February 24, 2022, due to the invasion, life has become tough for Ukrainian passengers, including their football players.
Road and railways are now the only mode of transport in and out of the country, and Shakhtar Donetsk, too, have no other choice, making their journey an arduous one.
Barcelona will confirm knockout round place with a win
With three wins from three, Barcelona's Champions League campaign has gone pretty well so far. Another victory will confirm their place in the knockouts.
Having gone out in the group stage of the competition in the last two years, the Blaugrana are on the brink of avoiding the prospect for a third straight year. That was never in doubt, though, once the draw was made.
Barcelona are the strongest side on paper in Group H. In the last two seasons, there was atleast one another proverbial 'big team' in their group - Bayern Munich in 2021-22 and Bayern as well as Inter Milan last year.
This time, Xavi's side have been handed a more favourable draw with no big side contesting them for the top spot. Porto and Shakhtar Donestsk have caused upsets in the past but have been no match for the Blaugrana.
As for Shakhtar, their progression hopes could be over with a loss, as the Ukrainian side are third with three points in three Champions League games.
