Shakhtar donetsk vs palace

Crystal Palace is competing in their first European semi-final against Shakhtar Donetsk on April 30, 2026, at the Synerise Arena in Krakow. Shakhtar faces significant challenges due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Shakhtar Donetsk leads the Ukrainian Premier League and reached the semi-finals by defeating AZ Alkmaar 5-2 on aggregate. This match marks the first-ever meeting between Shakhtar and Crystal Palace.

Key statistics:

• Shakhtar has played English teams 18 times, winning 5 and losing 9.
• Crystal Palace is currently 13th in the Premier League.
• Ismaila Sarr has scored 7 goals in the Europa Conference League this season.

Crystal Palace recently won against Fiorentina 3-0 in the quarter-finals of the Conference League. Oliver Glasner aims to secure his second trophy in two years with Palace.

The match is being played in Poland because of the war, which has affected Shakhtar’s operations. Despite this being a “home leg” for Shakhtar, it does not feel that way given the circumstances.

The match will be refereed by João Pinheiro. It is available for streaming on TNT Sports in the UK.

Palace’s last five matches include a notable 3-1 loss to Liverpool. Oliver Glasner’s main injury concern is Tyrick Mitchell, who hurt his achilles during that match.

This Europa Conference League campaign is a maiden one for Shakhtar Donetsk as they continue to deal with war impacts. Crystal Palace enters as strong favorites to win this first leg clash.