Two sides who finished as runners-up in their domestic leagues during the 2014-15 season go head to head in the opening round of fixtures in the group stage of the Champions League as Real Madrid host Shakhtar Donetsk.
Both sides made it to the knockout stage of this competition last season, but missed out on their league titles, with Real finishing as runners-up behind Barcelona, while Shakhtar were beaten to the Ukrainian title by Dynamo Kiev.
Real Madrid
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Real Madrid should be heading into the match full of confidence after thrashing Espanyol 6-0 in La Liga at the weekend, in a match which saw Cristiano Ronaldo open his account for the season.
The Portuguese forward had failed to find the back of the net in the opening two matches of the campaign, but scored five times at Estadi Carnella-El Prat, making him the club's new record goalscorer.
Rafael Benitez found himself under pressure at the start of the season, with the side being held to a goalless draw by La Liga newcomers Sporting Gijon in their opening fixture, but emphatic wins in their last two matches have given the former Napoli and Liverpool boss some breathing space for now.
Despite the saga involving the club's failed transfer for Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea, Keylor Navas has helped Los Blancos pick up clean sheets in their first three matches of the domestic season.
This time last year, Real were preparing to start the defence of their 10th European title, but a 3-2 aggregate defeat to Juventus in the semi-finals of this competition last season prevented them from adding an 11th cup win.
This match marks the start of a busy week for Benitez's side, as La Liga has a midweek round of fixtures next week, giving Real games against Granada and Athletic Bilbao within eight days of this outing.
Recent form: WLDWLD
Recent form (all competitions): LDWDWW
Shakhtar Donetsk
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For the first time in six years, Shakhtar Donetsk come into the Champions League without having won their domestic league, losing out to Dynamo Kiev in the Ukrainian Premier League for the first time since the 2008-09 season.
Missing out on the league title ensured that Shakhtar had to go through the final round of qualifying and a playoff to reach the group stage this season, defeating Fenerbahce and Rapid Wien on their way.
Donetsk finished as runners-up in their group last season, but were thrashed by Bayern Munich in their round-of-16 match, losing 7-0 in the second leg of the tie after holding the German champions to a goalless draw on home soil.
Mircea Lucescu's side have made a strong start to their league season, winning five of their opening seven matches, leaving them just three points behind leaders Dynamo. They were in action against Metalist Kharkiv on Friday, securing a comfortable 5-0 win.
Last season, Shakhtar were forced to play their home match away from their home, the Donbass Arena, as the stadium was twice damaged during ongoing conflicts in the area. With the situation there still unstable, the side are still hosting their home matches in Lviv during the 2015-16 campaign.
Donetsk lost top goal scorer Luiz Adriano to AC Milan during this summer's transfer window, but Alex Teixeira has already stepped up following his fellow Brazilian's departure, netting 10 times in 12 appearances so far this season.
Recent form: DLDWWD
Recent form (all competitions): LWWDWW
Team News
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The Spanish side have a couple of players sidelined for this match, as Danilo is ruled out with a foot injury while James Rodriguez is struggling with a thigh injury. Both are expected to miss the next month.
Defender Sergio Ramos has missed training following the win over Espanyol, but it is expected that the Spanish international will be involved at the Bernabeu.
Benitez has insisted that he has not yet made a decision about his goalkeeper for this match despite Navas's unblemished start to the campaign, with some clubs opting for a change between the posts for cup competition.
For the visitors, Facundo Ferreyra is a doubt as he continues to regain his fitness following an injury-hindered loan spell with Newcastle United last season. However, Ivan Ordets could be available after returning to training last week.
Real Madrid possible starting lineup:
Navas, Carvajal, Ramos, Varane, Marcelo, Isco, Kroos, Modric, Bale, Benzema, Ronaldo
Shakhtar Donetsk possible starting lineup:
Pyatov, Srna, Kucher, Rakitskiy, Shevchuk, Stepanenko, Fred, Marlos, Taison, Teixeira, Gladkiy
Head To Head
Despite these two sides both being regulars at this stage of Europe's top club competition, this will be the first meeting between the teams.
Shakhtar did come up against one of Real's La Liga rivals last season, sharing a goalless draw with Athletic Bilbao away from home, while securing a 1-0 win at home.
Real have not faced a side from Ukraine since the 2006-07 season, when they were drawn in a group with Dynamo Kiev. On that occasion they cruised to a 5-1 win at the Bernabeu.
We say: Real Madrid 3-0 Shakhtar Donetsk
Real Madrid have looked unstoppable in front of goal in their last couple of matches, and having scored five at the weekend, Ronaldo will surely be looking to pose a threat again for the hosts. Although there could be a change between the posts, Real are yet to concede a goal in a competitive fixture this season, which will make things difficult for the visitors, who have been heavily reliant on one player for goals. Away from home, this would be a tricky match for Benitez's side, but the support of the home crowd should make it a relatively comfortable night for the 10-time European champions.
Sian Cowper
