Aberdeen vs Shakhtar Donetsk Prediction: Pitmen to mine winning seam at Pittodrie

Aberdeen will hope to put their Premiership woes behind them by springing a surprise at home to European heavyweights Shakhtar Donetsk on Matchday One of the Conference League on Thursday (20:00).

Jimmy Thelin's Dons are bottom of the top division in Scotland without a goal to their name and will be wary of the threat carried by Arda Turan's big-hitters, who are unbeaten this season. Steve Davies provides his Aberdeen vs Shakhtar Donetsk predictions, supported by all the latest team news and match odds.

Team News

Aberdeen are without right-back Alex Jensen, who is suspended, while Dons' boss Thelin is confident midfielder Stuart Armstrong is fit. Finding a front three who can find the net is hie biggest challenge, however.

Shakhtar are without star winger Alisson Santana, who broke a leg two weeks ago and he joins fellow Brazilian Eguinaldo and striker Lassina Traore on the treatment table.

Aberdeen vs Shakhtar Donetsk Odds

Shakhtar, a Champions League side last season and unbeaten in eight European ties in 2025/26, are 8/15 shots at Pittodrie.

Aberdeen, without a win in seven, are 5/1 shots. They are also without a goal in six but are 8/15to score over 0.5 against the Pitmen.

The Shakhtar win to nil - probably a warmer order than Aberdeen scoring - is 13/8.

Shakhtar to win to nil @ 8/5

It has been a wretched start to 2025/26 for Aberdeen, who could probably do without a visit of Ukrainian aces Shakhtar to Pittodrie just days before a massive showdown with Dundee in the Premiership.

The Dons are bottom of the SPL with one point and no goals to their name through six rounds and the Conference League has suddenly become a campaign that Thelin would happily swerve.

Dumped into it courtesy of a 5-2 aggregate defeat to FCSB in the Europa League, they are playing okay but with evidently no cutting edge and, if Shakhtar put in a professional display, they surely win this contest.

The Pitmen are in great nick and without a loss in 16 matches this season, eight of which have been in Europe - six games in the Europa League followed by a 3-2 aggregate success over Servette  in the play-off round of this tournament.

In the Europa League they kept a clean sheet against Besiktas and home and away clean sheets against Panathinaikos, going out on penalties after a pair of goalless draws.

Over 4.5 Aberdeen Corners @ 5/4

Aberdeen may struggle to win this, but there has to be some intent which could be seen in the home corner count.

The 5/4 that the Dons get five corners or more looks ever so appealing.

In their last three league or European home games - against FCSB, Falkirk and Livingston - the Aberdeen corner count has been five, five and six.

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