Team News
Olexandr Kucher is suspended for the Ukrainians. Ilsinho is out with a meniscus injury. Tomas Hubschman is doubtful due to chicken pox. Marcel Schmelzer is doubtful for BVB. He is ill and faces a late fitness test. If he is not passed fit, Jürgen Klopp will have a huge headache due to the lack of a left back.
Usually, Kevin Grosskreutz deputizes for Schmelzer; however, Grosskreutz is out due to illness. Ilkay Gündogan is out due to a thigh and a toe problem. Patrick Owomoyela is out with a bruised bone.
Analysis
Both teams play tremendously exciting football. Dortmund was absolutely marvelous in the group stages. Each and every one of their performances was special. They topped one of the toughest groups in the history of the Champions League. Shaktar was placed in a difficult group too; however, they managed to qualify for the next round ahead of the defending champions, Chelsea.
Shaktar has not played league football for two and a half months; their league shut down in early December for the winter. Lack of competitive might cause Shaktar problems in this match. An array of injuries is what might cause Jürgen Klopp trouble. Klopp and his side pretty much saw their title challenge end this week when a loss against HSV gave Bayern a 15 point lead over them. However, BVB has produced their best football in the Champions League this season. This could be the case again.
Previous Meetings
Borussia Dortmund 3-1 Shaktar Donetsk (22nd August 2001)
Shaktar Donetsk 0-2 Borussia Dortmund (7th August 2001)
Previous Matches
Odd Grenland 1-0 Shaktar (3rd February 2013)
Shaktar 2-0 CSKA Moscow (31st January 2013)
Shaktar 3-0 Piast Gliwice (29th January 2013)
Shaktar 1-0 Rosenborg (28th January 2013)
Shaktar 2-1 IFK Gothenburg (25th January 2013)
Dortmund 1-4 Hamburger SV (9th February 2013)
Bayer Leverkusen 2-3 Dortmund (3rd February 2013)
FC Köln 1-0 Borussia Dortmund (28th January 2013)
Dortmund 3-0 FC Nürnberg (25th January 2013)
Werder Bremen 0-5 Dortmund (19th January 2013)
Prediction
Shaktar 1-1 Dortmund
