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Maccabi Tel Aviv host Shakhtar Donetsk at Bloomfield Stadium on Thursday for the first leg of their round-of-32 clash in the Europa League.
Having missed out on European football last season after losing in both the Champions League and Europa League playoffs, the Israeli side are back this year.
They finished behind Villarreal in Group I, winning thrice and losing just once from six games. They have reached this stage for the first time since 2014.
The Yellow Ones have never gone beyond this stage, which should boost Shakhtar, who are at this point for the third successive year.
They were drawn in a 'group of death' alongside Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Borussia Monchengladbach. However, they showed exceptional fight, beating the Spanish champions twice before holding the Nerazzurri to secure Europa League football.
The Miners made it to the semi-finals of the Europa League last year for the first time since 2016. They have tremendous European pedigree and enter this contest as firm favorites.
Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Shakhtar Donetsk Head-To-Head
This will be the first-ever competitive game between the sides.
Maccabi Tel Aviv Form Guide (all competitions): W-W-W-W-W
Shakhtar Donetsk Form Guide (all competitions): W-W-D-W-D
Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Shakhtar Donetsk Team News
Maccabi Tel Aviv
The home side will be without Yonatan Cohen, Eden Karzev and Eyal Golasa, as all of them are injured.
Injured: Yonatan Cohen, Eden Karzev and Eyal Golasa
Suspended: None
Unavailable: None
Shakhtar Donetsk
The visitors only have one casualty at the moment as Dentinho is currently nursing a calf injury.
Injured: Dentinho
Suspended: None
Unavailable: None
Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Shakhtar Donetsk Predicted XI
Maccabi Tel Aviv (4-3-3): Daniel Peretz; Andre Geraldes, Eitan Tibi, Luis Hernandez, Enric Saborit; Dan Biton, Avi Rikan, Dan Glazer; Tal Ben Heim, Eduardo Guerrero, Nick Blackman.
Shakhtar Donetsk (4-2-3-1): Anatoliy Trubin; Dodo, Sergiy Kryvtsov, Vitao, Mykola Matvienko; Taras Stepanenko, Alan Patrick; Yevhen Konoplyanka, Marlos, Taison; Junior Moraes.
Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Shakhtar Donetsk Prediction
Shakhtar are clearly the better side in this matchup and they have far more European experience than their opponents.
Maccabi will look to make the home advantage count but they have played just once since the turn of the year.
We expect Shakhtar to eventually sail through to victory in this encounter.
Prediction: Maccabi Tel Aviv 1-2 Shakhtar Donetsk
