Shakhtar received the most equal opponent: what the odds say before the battle with Lech in the Conference League…. Euro cups for Ukraine in spring 2026 year, Shakhtar can still compete for a spot in the Champions League next year 2026-2027 season
Possible opponents of Shakhtar Donetsk have been identified at the decisive stage of the Conference League of the 2025/26 season up to the final.
Based on the results of the draw 1/8 in the final, the Ukrainian club will play against the Polish Lech from Poznan. The team is a nine-time champion of Poland and the current holder of the national title. In the 2022/23 season, Lech reached the quarter-finals of the Conference League, where he lost to the Italian Fiorentina.
The first match will take place 12 March in Poznan, the return meeting will take place 19 March on the Shakhtar field.
The winner of this pair in the quarterfinals (9 And 16 April) will meet with the strongest in the confrontation AZ (The Netherlands) — "Sparta" (Prague). In case of reaching the semi-finals (30 April and 7 May) the Donetsk club can play against the winner of one of the following pairs: "Kristal Pélas" — AEK or "Fiorentina" — "Rakuv".
The 2025/26 Conference League final is scheduled for 27 May and will be held in Leipzig.
A rather indicative pre-match picture of the confrontation between Lech Poznan and Shakhtar Donetsk within the UEFA Conference League is added to the draw and the bookmakers’ line 2025/26.
📊 Match analytics
1. Almost equal chances
Odds from Vbet for team victory - 2.68 of "Leh" and 2.67 to Shakhtar (промокод)- show, that bookmakers do not highlight a clear favorite. This is a rare case for the playoff stage, where usually one side has a noticeable advantage.
In fact, the market values the match as 50 on 50 with a slight home field factor in favor of the Polish club.
2. Home factor "Lech"
The first game takes place in Poznan, where Lech traditionally acts more aggressively:
- high pressure from the first minutes;
- active flanks;
- quick start bet.
It is critical for the hosts to create an advantage before the return match, because the team plays noticeably more cautiously on the road.
3. Shakhtar style
Shakhtar feel more comfortable in the European Cups in recent seasons in the second matches:
- ball control,
- play through positional attacks,
- bet on the individual skill of the attacking line.
A draw in the first match will be a statistically acceptable result for the Donetsk team.
4. Likely scenario
Judging by the line:
- expected closed first game;
- high probability of counting 1:1 or the minimum victory of one of the parties;
- the market allows a decisive outcome in the return match.
📈 Key Takeaway
The confrontation looks to be one of the smoothest in 1/8 finals. The outcome of the pair, more likely, will not be determined by the command class, and the efficiency of converting chances and the depth of the squad in the second game.
Let us remind you, also plays in March Ukrainian national team play-offs, where to compete for a ticket to the World Cup 2026
