The conflict with Russia has led the Ukrainian team into exile
It is the second edition that plays outside of its country
Barça visits Shakhtar Donetsk this Tuesday (6:45 p.m.) on the fourth day of the group stage of the Champions League, a match in which the team led by Xavi Hernández can certify their qualification for the round of 16 after two seasons of absence. A tie would be enough to secure one of the two places that give access to the crossings.
The Ukrainian team cannot play its home games in its stadium, the Donbas Arena in Donetsk, due to the war conflict that Russia began on February 24, 2022.
His exile dates back to 2014, with Russia’s unilateral annexation of Crimea that began the conflict in Donbas. Shakhtar had to go play a thousand kilometers away, specifically the Lviv Arenawith capacity for 34,915 spectators.
Lviv continues to be his home in the domestic championship, but since February 24, 2022, he has had to leave his country to play his matches in the top European competition.
The last edition of the Champions League was played in the Legia Warsaw Municipal Stadiumpopularly known as the Polish Army Stadium, with a capacity of 31,800 spectators.
Exile in Hamburg
This year, however, the Ukrainian team has reached a collaboration agreement with Hamburger SV, a team that plays in Germany’s Second Division, to be the owner of its stadium in the Champions League.
Thus, Shakhtar will host Barça at the Volksparkstadion, which translated means People’s Park Stadium. A stadium in which it recovers the 52,000 spectators that its home, the Donbas Arena, had.
This photo is of the Volksparkstadion, Hamburg’s stadium, which is in second place.
It’s a photo from TONIGHT… since it will serve as a “home” stadium. for Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League 23/24.
The war has caused them to have to play every game in UCL as… pic.twitter.com/DzTViVsiJF
— Andrés Weiss (@andresweiss_) September 19, 2023
The Volksparstadion is classified as category 4 by UEFA and has a capacity for 57,000 spectators, but in the top European competition it cannot occupy the 5,000 seats it still has without seats.
Shakhtar’s new home was inaugurated in 1953 and remodeled between 1998 and 2000. And throughout its 70-year history it has hosted matches from the World Cups of 1974 and 2006 and Euro 1988.
The Ukrainians have lost the only game they have played in Hamburg, in the opening of the group stage against Porto (1-3). And he still hasn’t won at home since he had to leave his country. Their balance is two draws, against Real Madrid (1-1) and Celtic (1-1) and a second defeat, against Leipzig (0-4).