Shakhtar Donetsk's chances of winning the UEFA Europa Conference League 2025/2026 remain real, despite the bookmakers' odds. The team is among the contenders for the trophy, and the current form and experience of performing in European cups allow us to count on passage to the final stages. At the same time, the key success factors remain consistency of results, squad depth and ability to compete with tournament favorites.
Shakhtar will take the Conference League? Let's look at it without rose-colored glasses…
Now around the UEFA Europa Conference League 2025/2026 the fun begins - the playoffs are already in full swing, final assigned to 27 May in Leipzig . And the main question for Ukrainian fans is whether Shakhtar Donetsk can really reach the trophy.
What the odds say (and your screenshot from VBet)
Looking at the line, the picture is pretty honest:
— Crystal Palace — 2.25 (main favorite)
— Rayo Vallecano — 5.50
— Mainz — 5.50
— Miners — 6.00
- then there are outsiders
That is, the Pitmen are not top 1, but in the pool of real applicants. This is important: not a fairy tale, but quite a working scenario.
At the same time, for other bookmakers the numbers are even tougher - around the odds 10.00 to win. That is, the market fluctuates, and a lot depends on the current shape and mesh. Пополнить счет Vbet с помощью кредитной карты можно.
A little context and history
Shakhtar Donetsk is not a no-name in Europe. Yes, main victory - UEFA Cup 2009, but even now the club remains stable in European competition.
In season 2025/26 the team has come a difficult way:
- passed confidently 1/8 finals
- they are currently playing the quarter-finals against AZ Alkmaar
— in the last matches the form is normal: 4 victories from 5
Plus an important point - a new tournament format with a single table and high density of competition. There are no passing opponents here.
ICRF / ranking and European Cup value
To put it simply: every point from Shakhtar now is a boost for Ukraine in the UEFA coefficients table.
Victory in European Cups gives the country points, which influence:
— number of clubs in Europe
— starting stages
— general league status
For example, victory in 1/8 has already brought Ukraine points in the ranking. So it's not just about the trophy, but also about the future of Ukrainian football.
Forecast: can they take the trophy?
In short - yes, but not favorites.
Factors in favor:
- European Cup experience
- stable form
— strong teams have already passed
— normal attack/defense balance
Factors against:
— there are more balanced clubs (the same Crystal Palace)
- instability at a distance
— dense mesh — any mistake = crash
And the main point: coefficient 6.00 - this is approximately 15–17% chances. That is, it will not “fly by accident”, but also not “obligated to take”.
Shakhtar Donetsk is now the dark horse of the tournament. They're already in the game, already among the tops, but to take the cup, you need to go the ideal distance without failures.
If you look at the market and form, the scenario of “reaching the finals” looks a little more realistic, than “taking the trophy”. But in the Conference League these are the teams that often shoot.
Remind, Rinat Akhmetov after defeating AZ with a score 3:0 gave an interview - for the first time since 2014 year, when Shakhtar Donetsk left Donetsk. Could this mean something??
Yes, after the victory 3:0 above AZ there really was a resonant appearance of Rinat Akhmetov in the media - and it did not seem accidental.
Context is important: with 2014 year, after the start of the war and the club moved from Donetsk, Akhmetov practically did not make public football statements, I also didn’t go to my team’s matches. He stayed in the shadows, even when Shakhtar Donetsk won trophies or played in European competitions.
And here - a confident victory 3:0 in Europe and immediately the owner’s comment. This can be read as a signal.
What could this mean?
— Return to a more active role. Public appearance is always about control and involvement
— Supporting the team at a key moment. Shakhtar are now really in the fight for the trophy, and such exits are often made, to “highlight” ambitions
— Possible marker of the importance of the season. Not every match receives this level of attention from the owner
But it's important not to overestimate
This is not necessarily a sign, that they will definitely take the cup". More likely an indicator, what they understand inside the club: there is a chance to go far, and the moment cannot be missed.
If you look soberly: such interviews often coincide with the phase, when the team is either at its peak, or before the decisive period of the tournament.
Akhmetov's speech after 3:0 - this is not an accident, but rather a neat signal: Shakhtar Donetsk is really in the game and the season could become landmark. But there’s no point in turning this into a “prophecy” of victory—the field will decide everything next.
