Read our prediction for Shakhtar Donetsk vs Rijeka below. This preview was written by a sport journalist who is specialised in betting tips and predictions.
Shakhtar Donetsk vs Rijeka Prediction & Betting tips
The UEFA Conference League match between Shakhtar Donetsk and Rijeka is scheduled for Thursday, December 18, 2025, at 8:00 PM UTC (10:00 PM EET local time). The game will be held at the neutral venue of the Henryk-Reyman-Stadium in Krakow, Poland. Shakhtar are strong favorites and need a point to guarantee a spot in the last 16.
Shakhtar Donetsk:
Shakhtar Donetsk enters the match in excellent form, on a nine-game unbeaten run across all competitions, including three successive Conference League victories. They recently secured a dominant 5-0 domestic victory and have kept three consecutive clean sheets. Despite playing European “home” games at neutral venues, they have a good record, with only one loss in their last seven such fixtures.
Rijeka:
Rijeka also boasts good momentum, with a four-match unbeaten streak in the Conference League since matchday one (W2, D2). However, their away form in the competition has been poor, with losses to teams from Gibraltar and Armenia, and they have struggled to score on the road in Europe. Their high-intensity, physical style of play has resulted in a high number of fouls and yellow cards, which could be a factor in this match.
Key Match Facts:
Shakhtar needs just one point from this game to automatically qualify for the last 16 of the Conference League.
Rijeka sits two points inside the play-off places and a win could also secure them an automatic spot, but a defeat could mean an early exit.
Shakhtar is unbeaten in its four historical meetings with Croatian sides (W2, D2).
Rijeka’s midfielder Dejan Petrovič is suspended for the match.
Seven of Shakhtar’s ten Conference League goals this term have come after half-time.
Shakhtar is predicted by most sources to win the match, with common predicted scorelines including 2-1 and 2-0.
Shakhtar Donetsk vs Rijeka head to head matches
No previous match was played between the two teams.
* Our advice is: BTS / YES
* Selection odd for this bet is: 1.80
* This analyis is from our perspective and we highly recommend to inform also yourself about all details that can be decisive in your choise to bet!
