RSC Olympiyskiy Stadium, Donetsk
Wednesday 22 October 2008 – 20.45CET
Group C – Matchday 3

Sporting Clube de Portugal have reason for optimism against FC Shakhtar Donetsk but home coach Mircea Lucescu says his side will be “reckoning on three points” from the Group C encounter.
Unflattering impression
Sporting may have an unflattering impression of Ukrainian football after beating Shakhtar’s rivals FC Dynamo Kyiv twice in last season’s group stage, but Lucescu insists his side will not be looking for “revenge for Kyiv” or to protect
“Ukrainian football’s reputation”. “The most important thing is to get three points from this game,” the 63-year-old said. “If we want a chance of progressing to the knockout stage we can afford nothing but a win. We’re aware the task will be very difficult, but with a full stadium on our side we’re reckoning on three points.”
Two absentees
Lucescu’s optimism has been dented by the news that in-form defender Ilsinho has been ruled out for the rest of 2008 with a broken foot and by an appendix operation that has robbed him of Luiz Adriano until next month. “Their absence is our biggest problem for the coming match,” he said. “We will do all we can to find adequate replacements, but it’s going to be hard.” Ilsinho and Luiz Adriano were already out of contention when Shakhtar played FC Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih on Saturday, and Lucescu can only have been encouraged his side won 4-2 without them. However, Shakhtar must be wary of a warning from history. Last season they beat Sporting’s rivals SL Benfica 1-0 in Lisbon but lost 2-1 at home to put an early end to their European campaign.
‘Forewarned is forearmed’
After taking six points off Dynamo last season, Sporting coach Paulo Bento intends to do the same again against their Ukrainian rivals. “I think it will be more difficult,” he said. “My desire is to win both of our meetings with Donetsk, but four points would also please me. We know how much effort it will take to earn points here, but I expect my team to be at their best. Shakhtar play dynamic, aggressive football which is based on the great individual quality of their players, but we’re aware of their strengths. Forewarned is forearmed.”
Liedson back
Bento will be looking for a lift as Sporting, who lie second in Group C level on three points with Shakhtar, struggle to find their feet in the Portuguese Liga. It is over two weeks since they last played a league match so there has been no opportunity to make amends for bitter back-to-back defeats against rivals SL Benfica and FC Porto, though Saturday’s victory against UD Leiria in the Portuguese Cup has improved the mood somewhat. Best of all, however, was seeing striker Liedson back among the goals in his first start after five months out with a knee injury. Marat Izmailov is fit again and will also add to Bento’s options, but Simon Vuk?evi? misses out with flu and Marco Caneira is yet to recover from a stomach muscle problem. “The two games against Shakhtar are likely to decide whether we progress,” Bento said. “We expect a very hard but interesting match.”

Brandão believes in Shakhtar ambition
Now in his seventh season at FC Shakhtar Donetsk, Brazilian striker Brandão feels the club is ready to make the next step and qualify for the UEFA Champions League knockout stage for the first time, a target they could take a giant step towards with a home win over Sporting Clube de Portugal.
Knockout dream
With the two clubs level on three points after two games in Group C, the 28-year-old is aware of the magnitude of the challenge ahead. “We are up against very tough opponents so we expect a hard game,” Brandão said, “but this match may be decisive for us – we are dreaming about the Champions League knockout stage. That is why only three points will do.” In Shakhtar’s Matchday 2 encounter with section leaders FC Barcelona, the home side were on course for victory after carrying a one-goal lead into the game’s final five minutes. Lionel Messi then stunned the hosts, scoring twice late on to claim all three points for the visitors. “I’m sure our team will do their best in front of the home fans, and never let the kind of mistakes we saw in the previous match happen again,” vowed Brandão.
Maximum concentration
Last season, Brandão was an ever-present in the UEFA Champions League as Shakhtar met another Portuguese club in the group stage, SL Benfica. The Ukrainian champions won away but then lost at home to confirm their last-place finish in the pool, but the forward feels that was a valuable learning experience for the squad. “What we have to do is remember all the lessons we were taught by our previous defeats,” he added. “I think we have worked well on our weak points and are now ready to play fully focused until the end of the game.”
Experienced campaigner
Now one of the most experienced players in Shakhtar’s squad, Brandão played his 50th game in UEFA club competitions against Barça. He is also the club’s top goalscorer in European games having struck 15 times on the continental stage. However, only three of those have come in the UEFA Champions League (all at the expense of Celtic FC) and although he insists the team’s result is all-important, scoring goals matters to him.
Collective goal
“Goals are important to me but not as much as the results of my team,” he said. “No matter who scores it is Shakhtar winning that really counts for me.” With countrymen Jadson, Fernandinho and Ilsinho already off the mark for the Donetsk club in this year’s edition, Brandão would like nothing more than to take his domestic league form – where he has scored five times in eight matches – into Europe’s premier club competition and help his club achieve their collective goal.