“Stamford Bridge” will host “Shakhtar Donetsk” in the Champions League this season
Shakhtar Donetsk will play their Champions League match against AEK Athens at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday evening.
The 16-time Ukrainian champions have not been able to host foreign teams in the country since the start of the Russian invasion in 2022, with all European club matches and national team matches being played abroad due to security concerns.
All four of their league stage “home” matches will be played at Chelsea’s west London home, part of a deepening relationship between the clubs that began with the sale of Mykhailo Mudryk to the Blues in 2023.
This means Shakhtar will face AEK Athens (Wednesday 14 October), Sporting CP (Tuesday 3 November), Fenerbahce (Wednesday 25 November) and Real Madrid (Wednesday 27 January) at Stamford Bridge this season.
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Before the match against AEK Athens, Shakhtar Donetsk head coach Arda Turan was asked about his opinion on playing in London instead of Ukraine. “We are not trying to create drama, but we will highlight it,” said Turan.
“We are living in a war situation in Ukraine and children are dying. We live with it, but we don’t accept it. We are looking for the positive side of being (in London), but we wish for the day when we can play in Ukraine again.”
Turan was appointed to Shakhtar in 2025 and led them to the championship in his first campaign after losing to Dynamo Kyiv the previous season. The 39-year-old appeared emotional while answering questions about the war in his adopted country.
When asked how his players keep their focus on football and not on what’s happening in the country, he replied: “I don’t do anything because my players taught me to live in war without making excuses, they always fought.
“I have a great group, not only the players, but the staff, everyone in Ukraine. We carry people’s hopes. It’s not just for football purposes.”
Chelsea announced their deal with Shakhtar Donetsk in August, and at the time the club said it would “work closely with the Shakhtar team over the coming weeks to ensure match days are safe and comfortable for their team and supporters”.
“Shakhtar” said in its statement: “Playing home games of the Champions League at Stamford Bridge is a special opportunity for Shakhtar. We are grateful to “Chelsea” Football Club for the opportunity to hold our games in this special place. Stamford Bridge is one of the most famous stadiums in world football with its incredible history and atmosphere. For Ukrainian and English fans.”