Shakhtar 2-0 Real Madrid, Champions League: results, summary and goals
Shakhtar Donetsk 2-0 Real Madrid: how it happened
On the whistle: match report
Real Madrid's Champions League hopes are hanging in the balance after they lost 2-0 at Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday, leaving their fate in reaching the knockout stages out of their hands* heading into the final round of matches.
The 13-times European Cup winners went behind in the 57th minute when Shakthar substitute Dentinho capitalised on a lapse in concentration from defender Raphael Varane to score. Israeli forward Manor Solomon then wrapped up the home side's shock win over the Spanish champions in the 82nd with a solo run on the counter and finish into the bottom corner.
Dentinho came on in the first half to replace striker Junior Moraes, who was injured after being hauled down by Varane in a bid to prevent the forward racing towards goal unchallenged.
Shakhtar, who beat Madrid 3-2 away in October, are second in Group B on seven points, level with Zinedine Zidane's Real side but ahead due to their superior head-to-head record. (Reporting by Richard Martin)
[*Inter Milan beat Gladbach in the later game to put it back in their hands going into the final game]
Real Madrid boss Zidane: "I'm not going to resign"
Zidane: "I'm not going to resign"
Real Madrid head coach Zinedine Zidane brushed off talk about his future after Los Blancos' 2-0 Champions League defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk.
Zidane's comments in full:
Champions League: What Real Madrid need to qualify for last 16
Madrid's UCL permutations
Real Madrid's route to the Champions League knockout stages has been complicated by Tuesday's Group B defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk.
Zidane post-match comments
The Real Madrid boss is answering questions from the media...
"I'm not going to resign," was the simple answer to a fairly obvious question.
"We are going to keep going. We were good in the first half. Things would have been different if we'd scored the first goal..."
"Their goal hurt us as we were playing well. We had two of three chances and hit the post."
Missing Sergio
As Mister Chip points out, Los Blancos have lost seven of their last nine UCL games without their captain Sergio Ramos.
It's all relative
Grant makes a decent point about how Group B has panned out. Even crazier when you think about Inter losing twice to Madrid. Football, eh?!
Shakhtar 2-0 Real Madrid: the reaction starts here
As you can imagine there are going to be some difficult questions posed to Zidane and any players that face the media after that result.
We'll keep across it...
FULL-TIME
Goals: Dentinho 56', Solomon 81'
Peep, peep, peeeep!! That's it. Shakhtar take all three points, and throw un gato among the palomas!
Vini gets himself involved again but this game is running away from Zidane's men.
Four minutes added. Can Madrid score two? (I don't think so)
Europa nights?
As the clock counts down to full time, there are feelings that Madrid may have to ponder the idea of Thursday night football.
Free-kick to Madrid and Kroos can plop it straight into the crowded box. He does, but again the defence do enough to see it away without too much trouble.
Dentinho came on for an injured teammate and now has to be replaced for an injury. Fernando comes on.
Patrick also enters for Kovalenko.
Vini-issues
Robbie points out some harsh stats about the young Brazilian hope, who is still struggling to hold down a place despite little competition.
Solomon is not long on the pitch but he's made his mark. A break away from the Madrid attack and as Lucas, and then Varane, stood off him, he hits a tidy finish past Courtois. Game over?
Vini gets around on the left and toes in a cross. It's cleared and orange shirts sprint upfield...
Asensio shoots, blocked. Modric picks up the pieces and fires in from outside the area, blocked again.
The resulting corner then pops into the air and Isco goes for the bicycle kick. It's a tough ask in a crowded penalty area and sure enough his boot is close to taking an eye out. Whistle blows.
Vini is quickly involved and tries to squeeze his way around two defenders to get in on goal. He almost does.
Shakhtar: Taison and Marlos OFF, Solomon and Maycon ON
Madrid: Odegaard, Benzema and Rodrygo OFF, Isco, Mariano and Vinicius ON
From the corner, Mendy gets a strike away. It's outside the area and he draws a save from Trubin...but not one that wins him any awards.
Substitution time...
Benzema tries to force the issue and wins a corner from the covering tackle.
After watching his side lose to Alavés, Zidane struggled to explain it. He'll be hoping he doesn't get asked the same question tonight but time is running out.
As well as holding on to this lead - remember that a win puts them above Madrid in the table and takes qualification out of the Spaniards' hands - Shakhtar are keen to breach this questionable defence at any opportunity.
Kovalenko has an effort blocked and the Tete's attempt is saved, on the recent occasions.
The home side are more than happy to sit back and absorb the pressure now. Madrid spend a minute or so passing around the middle of the pitch. Nothing coming from it.
Two moments of danger in quick succession.
Asensio first, getting down the outside on the left and drilling a low cross into the danger area. Cleared.
Then Mendy finds himself in front of goal, in space, with the ball, and a chance to strike. Throw in to Shakhtar!
An immediate chance for Los Blancos to get level as Kroos puts in a lovely cross from a free-kick on the left, Varane glances a header towards goal, but it's straight at Trubin.
Confusion in the Madrid area and the player that was a forced substitute in the first half gives the hosts the lead.
SAVE! Taison - the most threatening for the hosts - gets a run at Varane and does enough to fashion a chance.
He strikes it low and hard but a sprawling Courtois does excellently to stop it with his leg.
Excellent play involving Odegaard and Kroos allows the visitors to open up some space.
That possession then leads to Benzema collecting on the right side of the opponent's six-yard area, where he drops a shoulder and chips a lovely cross to the back post.
Nacho rises but cannot angle his neck to direct the header on target. Decent chance again.
From the Marlos corner delivery, Los Blancos break free.
Benzema almost gets a poke away to play in Asensio on the run through the centre but under pressure doesn't get enough on it.
Matviienko is slid down the outside of Lucas and there's space for him to fire a ball across in front of Courtois. He fluffs the chance, but is able to win a corner from the covering Lucas.
No sooner do we start than Madrid concede a free kick deep in the Shakhtar half. Let's hope we get a flowing second period of play.
Peeep! And we're off...
The players are heading back out onto the pitch, several of them rubbing or blowing into their cold hands. It really feels like winter here.
Shakhtar's samba stars
Fancy a quick, related read before the second half kicks-off? Jack has a good one here...
Shakhtar will also look to another moment that may have changed the game.
That challenge on Moraes after 15 minutes. The French defender was lucky the ball had been pushed well towards Courtois otherwise the ref may have considered another card colour.
This game could have been so different had Marco Asensio's front-post dink popped in on the other side of the post in the opening five minutes...
A goalless first half is not particularly surprising based on what we've seen.
Real Madrid have certainly had the better of the play, more concerted periods of possession, and a couple of decent chances to score.
That said, Trubin has his role to play and has dealt with the shots well, especially that strike from Asensio on the half hour.
Half-time musings
Shakhtar's social media team are wanting to know your thoughts. Let me have a go...
HALF-TIME
Peeep! The ref blows the half-time whistle.
Another couple of corner attempts from Kroos fail to change the scoreline ahead of the break.
The first was drifted over as most of the ones that came before. The second rolled to the edge of the area for a strike. At least it was more inventive.
We'll have three minutes of added time.
Nice exchanges out on the left touchline between Asensio, Mendy and then Odegaard. The Norwegian ends it by picking out Benzema near the penalty spot.
The striker attempts to hit a volley first time, but the ball is slightly behind him and he never looked like he was going to be able to contort his body enough to get around it.
The shot was high, very high, over the bar.
Asensio has a chance to find a teammate from the left but all he does is chip it across for Trubin to catch.
Rodrygo then tries his luck and wins a corner.
The snow is falling heavier than before.
Both Kroos and Odegaard find some space in the midfield but neither are able to create anything as they face up to numerous orange shirts.
Taison then gets a run at Nacho, who is quickly joined by three other boys in white. The hosts now appear content to hit on the break.
Substitute Dentinho swings a ball into the Madrid area in a rare escape from their own half in recent minutes.
Courtois treats it like catching practice under no pressure.
Madrid have a couple more corners to create some danger.
Odegaard then Kroos have a go but neither come to anything. A little more guile required.
Moraes: down and then out, after Varane collision
SAVE! Asensio collects inside the still busy area and gets his laces right through it, looking for the near-post top corner.
Trubin gets a strong hand to it and pushes over. That's a brilliant save!
Good pressure here from the Spanish visitors.
Lucas delivers well into the Shakhtar area from the right, and wins a corner from it.
Odegaard curls one over and the defence get it safe, although it's coming back...
First change of the game and it's a frustrating one for Luis Castro to be forced to make.
Moraes wasn't able to recover from that Varane block and Dentinho comes on in his place. No name jokes please.
The game has taken on a much more balanced feel after Madrid's strong start.
Both teams are looking to eek out an opportunity but defences quick to close any threat down.
That Modric-Benzema connection almost comes off again but the Croatian's pass is just too hard are runs through to the keeper.
We should see the referee add on a few extra minutes for that stoppage.
In the meantime, Shakhtar have moved the ball around well and Matviienko, lurking at the back post, is almost found with a long diagonal pass.
It's intercepted and cleared with the most delightful skill from the back-tracking Rodrygo. I want to see a replay of that!
No surprise that Varane was shown a card for that last coming together.
BOSH! Madrid caught out there and Moraes pokes the ball past Varane with half the pitch still to run into before meeting Courtois.
The French defender wasn't going to let him do that and stood his ground firmly, so much so that the forward took the thud on his leg and he's having to go off for treatment. Ouchie!
Another direct ball over the home defenders is met by the breaking Asensio, who attempts to take it on his shoulder.
It's just too high and with little space to do anything for the Spaniard.
CHANCE! Benzema's run is found beautifully by a through-ball from Modric, and under pressure the Frenchman pulls the trigger just inside the opponent's area.
It's straight at Trubin who stands firm to block and, after a bit of faffing, the defence clears.
Foul by Lucas stops play and Shakhtar get another chance to play a bigger role in these opening stages.
It doesn't take long for Madrid to regain possession though...
Taison has the first real effort for the home side. Some tidy play on the edge of the Madrid area eventually works its way to him and he lets rip. Safely watched over by Courtois, but a handy reminder to the visitors.
It has been a very positive start from Zidane's men but it goes without saying that they'll want something to show for it soon.
CLANG! Asensio off the post!
Great play from Rodrygo more centrally helps feed Benzema down the inside left channel. An early low cross from the Frenchman is met by a perfectly-timed run from Asensio but his dink over Trubin bounces away off the upright.
Great chance!
Madrid's young Brazilian gets another chance to create something from the right. A slight nudge from the defender causes him to miss-kick and he looks to have hurt himself with that.
Rodrygo is immediately into his stride.
Set free down the right he whips in a dangerous looking cross but it is well dealt with by the home defence and cleared.
Peeeeeep! We're off
Tossers
Karim Benzema takes the captain's role and meets with his opposite number and the referee in the middle of the park for the customary coin toss.
Chaaaaampions!!
The teams are out on the pitch and listening to the UEFA anthem for the competition.
We'll soon be getting underway.
Shakhtar goal shortage
There have been around 300 minutes of UCL play in which to score from for the Ukranians since they went in at half time in Madrid three goals up.
They've not found the net once!
Pandemic effect
Fans remain absent from most stadiums around Europe although this is starting to slowly change in certain countries.
This is the sad view at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev.
Champions League state of play: Madrid, Barcelona, PSG, Liverpool...
UCL 2020 with two games to go
Ahead of matchday five of the 2020/21 UEFA Champions League group, many groups are still to be resolved with just a handful of teams through to the Round of 16.
Here's an article that gives you all you need to know as we get ready for the first of the penultimate round of games.
Could the UCL structure be changing?
Do you like the current form the Champions League? The Times looks at the proposed 'Swiss system' that UEFA will be discussing...
Asensio struggles to find form despite Zidane's confidence
Asensio has the faith, but can he deliver?
Real Madrid forward Marco Asensio continues his fight to find form after returning from a long-term knee injury earlier this year. Benched in the home defeat to Alavés on Saturday without contributing much in the hour he had on the pitch means Asensio has not participated in a single goal since the last day of last season.
On his return after a year of rehab and recovery following the injury, Asensio only needed 29 seconds to score a goal. It was June 18, 2020, against Valencia. On Saturday, he failed to produce against Alavés, passing up another opportunity to establish himself firmly in Zidane's attack. He was replaced in the 63rd minute with the face of a player frustrated with his own performances.
Can he refind some form tonight?
Benzema's back
The return of the French striker is seen as key. We'll clearly have to wait and see just how sharp he is after missing the last few games.
He's the most dangerous aspect of the Madrid attack but also brings others into the play when the team enter the final third. Add Asensio and Rodrygo to the mix and chances should come.
Two sides of Real Madrid
One of the biggest questions being asked in Spain - and by Madridistas around the world - is which of ZIdane's sides is going to turn up tonight.
Such has their lack of consistency been that there are few fans that can feel confident at the start of any game this season. A solid win against Inter Milan was followed by defeat at home to Alavés in the league.
There is one factor of that named starting line-up that will provide some hope though...
Real Madrid XI: Courtois, Vazquez, Varane, Nacho, Mendy, Modric, Kroos, Asensio, Odegaard, Rodrygo, Benzema
Shakhtar XI: Pyatov, Dodo, Bondar, Vitao, Matviyenko, Stepanenko, Kovalenko, Tete, Marlos, Taison, Moraes
Team news coming up...
Shakhtar Donetsk vs Real Madrid: how and where to watch - times, tv, online
When, how...
I do hope you will stay with me for coverage of the game but if you'd also like some audio of visual action then check out our handy guide.
Leaving, on a jet plane
The Madrid lads were off for their big game, and there were a number of faces missing due to injury.
Nacho welcomes you to the latest Champions League Diary...
A reminder
The Ukrainian club's social media team had no problems sharing this clip from a few weeks ago. And who blames them?
Shakhtar Donetsk cling on for shock away win over Real Madrid
Shakhtar's shock win
The meeting in the Spanish capital in October saw the Ukrainian side spring on of the biggest surprises of the 2020/21 Champions League group stages with a depleted side ravaged by the coronavirus managing to defeat the 13-time European champions at Valdebebas.
Back-to-back wins over Inter Milan, added to a hard-fought draw in Germany, have returned Zidane's team to a decent position to make it through to the next stage...but that would be spun on its head if things don't go to plan in Kiev.
Here's how that first game went down:
How Group B looks
Los Blancos travel to the Ukraine sitting second in the group, a point behind the impressive Borussia Monchengladbach, and three ahead of tonight's opponents.
This is the penultimate game of the group stage and a home win would put Shakhtar ahead of their more illustrious visitors - thanks to their head -to-head record - and would then take qualification out of the hands of Madrid with one match to play.
Shakhtar Donetsk vs Real Madrid: live
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Champions League Group B clash between Shakhtar Donetsk and Real Madrid on Tuesday 1 December.
It's a key game for both these sides, potentially the one that determines which of the two proceeds to the knockout phase...or is left with Thursday night football in the Europa League.
We're building up to kick-off and then will take you through to full time and the reactions that follow.