On Matchday 18, the Brasileirão featured its final matches before the World Cup break. Away from home, Corinthians came from behind to defeat Grêmio in a match filled with mistakes, where Fernando Diniz’s team stood out for their defensive performance. The final result reshaped the lower part of the table and could prove important when […]

A dominance of possession came to nothing as structural issues in attack surfaced for Shakhtar Donetsk. Inter’s stern 5-3-2 defensive block proved to be impenetrable for the toiling Shakhtar outfit. Inter’s high press caused Shakhtar into buildup errors which the Italians ruthlessly capitalized on, to claim a win that never looked under threat. Tactical analysis […]

A versatile buildup system and exploiting FC Basel on the transition rewarded Shakhtar Donetsk with the third Europa League semi-final in the club’s history. Their central focus overwhelmed their opponents, while Basel’s own passing structure lacked the balance or the bite to get themselves back into the game. Tactical analysis and match report by Joel […]

Wolfsburg began the game with intent, pressing from their 4-4-2 shape to force Shakhtar Donetsk into uncomfortable situations. However, the hosts grew into the game, showing how powerful dribbling is as an offensive tool to take apart their opponents in the dying embers of the game. Tactical analysis by Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere. Shakhtar Donetsk entered this […]