Shakhtar Donetsk vs Basel Odds & Preview: Europa League Quarterfinals
By Quinn Allen in Soccer News
Updated: March 9, 2021 at 1:01 pm ESTPublished:
- Shakhtar Donetsk and FC Basel will meet in the Quarterfinals of the Europa League on Tuesday
- Donetsk buried Wolfsburg in the round of 16, while Basel also beat another German side in Frankfurt to advance to the last eight
- Get the full odds, preview, and best bet for this quarterfinal clash below
With the conclusion of all domestic competitions, clubs around the continent will now battle it out for a chance at European glory. In Europa, just eight teams remain, with the quarterfinals beginning next week. On Tuesday, August 11, Ukrainian powerhouse Shakhtar Donetsk will take on one of Switzerland’s finest in FC Basel with a spot in the last four on the line. Kick-off is at 3pm ET.
These two sides have met on three separate occasions in their history, with the most recent coming in the Champions League group stage in 2008-09. Donetsk has won all three matches against their Swiss counterparts.
Shakhtar Donetsk vs FC Basel Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total at DraftKings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shakhtar Donetsk | -0.5 (-108) | -106 | Ov 2.5 (-108) |
| FC Basel | +0.5 (-115) | +290 | Un 2.5 (-114) |
| Draw | N/A | +255 | N/A |
Odds taken August 7th
Shakhtar Looking to Continue Their Success Against Basel
After featuring in the Champions League earlier in the year, Donetsk crashed out of the group stage after going 1-3-2 through six fixtures, which landed them in Europa. Their first opponent in Europe’s next best competition was Benfica in the round of 32. It was no easy task, but Shakhtar beat the Portuguese giants across two legs by a score of 5-4. Next up was a Wolfsburg side who earned a respectable seventh-place finish in Bundesliga this season. Despite the opponent, the Ukrainian giants had no issue whatsoever with the Germans, beating them 5-1 on aggregate.
Luis Castro’s side is the class of their country, having won the Ukrainian Premier League in nine straight seasons. They’ve had some fine talent come through their club in the past as well, from Man City’s Fernandinho to Roma’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
Junior Moraes leads the way for the Kyiv-based squad, scoring three times in four Europa League appearances this year. Fellow Brazilian Alan Patrick has also bagged two goals for Donetsk. An even tougher opponent will surely be next if they advance to the Semis, where the winner of Inter Milan/Bayer Leverkusen will await.
FC Basel Seeking a Spot in The Semifinals
Basel breezed through the Europa League group stage, going 4-1-1 en route to first spot in Group C. They conceded just four goals in six matches while scoring 12 times. To this point though, Basel hasn’t come up against any teams that really pose a threat to them. Marcel Koller’s men played Apoel Nicosia in the round of 32, beating them 4-0 on aggregate. The last 16 saw Frankfurt as Basel’s opponent, who was also no competition for the Swiss giants. In past years, Eintracht would have been a side who could definitely give Basel a run for their money, but their struggles this year were definitely evident, failing to score a goal in two legs.
Midfielder Fabian Frei has been brilliant for Basel, scoring five goals in 10 Europa fixtures this term. Three other players have also netted two goals apiece, while defender Raoul Petretta has tallied three assists. They’ve struggled against Donetsk in the past but will be looking to turn their fortunes around on Tuesday. This is their first Europa League Quarterfinal since the 2013-14 campaign and if they can pull off the upset, it would be Basel’s first semifinal appearance since 2012-13.
Shakhtar Donetsk vs FC Basel Stats
| 4-0-0 | Record in Europa | 8-1-1 |
| 2.5 | Goals Per Match | 2 |
| 1.2 | Goals Conceded Per Match | 0.4 |
| 52% | Average Possession Per Match | 49% |
Best Bet
It’s been over 10 years since Donetsk and Basel have clashed, but the Ukrainians have always come out on top. Their performance against Wolfsburg was very impressive and they’re also riding a high from yet another league title back in their home country. I don’t believe it’s going be a blowout, but Shakhtar will beat Basel by one goal and advance to the Semifinals of Europa.
Pick: Shakhtar Donetsk (-106)
Sports Writer
Quinn Allen is a sports journalist, with a background and education in broadcast journalism (BCIT '17). He is a full-time associate editor at ClutchPoints by day, where he writes about soccer, baseball, basketball, football, and more. At night, Quinn is a frequent contributor at SBD.
