Shakhtar Donetsk vs Crystal Palace Preview

Thursday evening in Krakow brings one of the most unusual and emotionally charged fixtures of the European semi-final calendar, as Shakhtar Donetsk — continuing to play their home matches in Poland due to the ongoing war in Ukraine — host Crystal Palace in the Conference League semi-final first leg. For Shakhtar, the competition provides a platform far beyond silverware; it is an opportunity to represent their nation on the European stage. For Crystal Palace, the occasion represents the furthest they have ever progressed in European competition, and they will be determined to make the most of it.

Shakhtar Donetsk head into the match in strong and consistent form. Their most recent outing produced a 3–1 away win at Kudrivka in the Ukrainian league — a commanding display that continued a run of excellent results. Prior to that, they won 2–1 away at FK Zorya Luhansk, a result that underlined their quality in domestic competition. Before that, they were equally solid at their temporary home in Krakow, winning 1–0 in a controlled performance against Polissya Zhytomyr. Earlier in this run, they were involved in the Conference League quarter-final, drawing 2–2 away at AZ Alkmaar — a result that, alongside the wider tie, was enough to see them through to the last four. The oldest result in this sequence, a 2–2 draw away at LNZ Cherkasy, rounds off a run without a defeat across five matches. Shakhtar’s European nights in Krakow have drawn significant support from the local community and the Ukrainian diaspora, and that atmosphere will be a genuine factor on Thursday.

Crystal Palace’s recent form is more mixed, and the timing of their dip will be a concern heading into such a significant occasion. Their most recent outing ended in a 3–1 defeat away at Liverpool in the Premier League — a difficult result, though the context of the opponent softens the blow somewhat. Prior to that, they were held to a goalless home draw by West Ham, a result that offered little momentum. Before that, their Conference League quarter-final second leg away at Fiorentina ended in a 2–1 defeat — however, the work had been done in the first leg at Selhurst Park, where Palace had won 3–0 to secure their passage. That home win over Fiorentina, the oldest result in this run, remains the standout performance of their recent campaign and a demonstration of what they are capable of when clicking. Inbetween this sequence, a 2–1 home win over Newcastle in the league showed their ability to grind out results domestically when it matters.

With no previous meetings between these clubs to draw on, both sides go into this tie with clean analytical slates. Shakhtar’s compact, organised structure and their experience of playing in high-pressure European environments make them a formidable opponent on their temporary home ground, while Crystal Palace possess the attacking quality to hurt any side when moving with pace and directness. A first-leg advantage could prove decisive in determining who makes the Conference League final.

In the UK, the match is live on TNT Sports 2 and available to stream via HBO Max. In the United States, supporters can watch on Paramount+ or ViX. The game is also available in Germany on RTL+ and in France on Canal+ Sport and myCANAL.

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Shakhtar Donetsk — Last 5 Results

Result	Home Team	Score	Away Team	Competition	Date
✅	Kudrivka	1–3	Shakhtar Donetsk	Ukrainian League	26.04.2026
✅	FK Zorya Luhansk	1–2	Shakhtar Donetsk	Ukrainian League	23.04.2026
✅	Shakhtar Donetsk	1–0	Polissya Zhytomyr	Ukrainian League	20.04.2026
🤝	AZ Alkmaar	2–2	Shakhtar Donetsk	Conference League	16.04.2026
🤝	LNZ Cherkasy	2–2	Shakhtar Donetsk	Ukrainian League	13.04.2026

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Crystal Palace — Last 5 Results

Result	Home Team	Score	Away Team	Competition	Date
❌	Liverpool	3–1	Crystal Palace	Premier League	25.04.2026
🤝	Crystal Palace	0–0	West Ham	Premier League	20.04.2026
❌	Fiorentina	2–1	Crystal Palace	Conference League	16.04.2026
✅	Crystal Palace	2–1	Newcastle	Premier League	12.04.2026
✅	Crystal Palace	3–0	Fiorentina	Conference League	09.04.2026

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Head-to-Head

Home Team	Score	Away Team	Competition	Date
—	—	—	No previous meetings	—

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TV Listings / Streaming

Country	Channel
United Kingdom	TNT Sports 2, HBO Max
Ireland	TNT Sports 2, HBO Max
USA	Paramount+, ViX
Germany	RTL+
France	Canal+ Sport, myCANAL
Italy	Sky Sport 254, NOW TV
Netherlands	Ziggo Go, Ziggo Sport 3
Australia	Stan Sport
Portugal	DAZN Portugal
Norway	Viaplay Norway