Shakhtar Donetsk vs Crystal Palace Conference League semi-final preview: Where to watch, predicted line-ups, team news
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Article summary
Where to watch, predicted line-ups and team news for this UEFA Conference League semi-final first leg.
Article top media content
Article body
Crystal Palace are set to take on Shakhtar Donetsk in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League semi-final tie.
Match at a glance
When: Thursday 30 April (21:00 CET)
Where: Municipal Henryk Reyman’s Stadium in Krakow, Krakow
What: Conference League semi-final first leg
Next: Semi-final second leg, Thursday 7 May (21:00 CET)
How to follow: Build-up and live coverage can be found here
Where to watch the game on TV
Fans can find their local UEFA Conference League broadcast partner(s) here.
What you need to know?
Shakhtar have made it all the way to the semi-finals in their maiden Conference League campaign. With the usual sprinkling of Brazilian talent, Arda Turan's side have hit their goalscoring stride recently, scoring four goals in their round of 16 victory over Lech Poznań, and five in their quarter-final tie against AZ Alkmaar.
Shakhtar also have previous European semi-final experience, having made the final four in the 2019/20 and 2015/16 Europa League, as well as winning the 2008/09 UEFA Cup, having beaten Dynamo Kyiv in the semi-finals and Werder Bremen in the final.
South Londoners Crystal Palace can boast nothing like that level of experience as they confront their first European semi-final; their only continental campaign prior to this season was a brief foray in the 1998 UEFA Intertoto Cup.
However, Oliver Glasner's side are no naive newcomers. They beat Shakhtar's rivals Dynamo Kyiv in Poland earlier in the campaign, and accounted for Fiorentina in the quarter-finals. In seven-goal Ismaïla Sarr, they also have the top scorer left in the competition. While they're not the biggest side in the Premier League, the team from Croydon do not scare easily.
Possible line-ups
Shakhtar Donetsk: To follow
Crystal Palace: To follow
Form guide
Shakhtar Donetsk
Form: WDDWWL (most recent game first)
Next: Zorya vs Shakhtar, 23/04, Ukrainian Premier League
Crystal Palace
Form: DLWWWD (most recent game first)
Next: Liverpool vs Palace, 25/04, English Premier League
Views from the camps
Arda Turan, Shakhtar coach: "Crystal Palace are a Premier League team with great potential. I went to the Crystal Palace stadium in December to watch a game. I had a dream [that I would be facing them this season], and some of my friends laughed at this. Now I will make fun of them!"
Oliver Glasner, Palace coach: "I expect [Shakhtar to be] a very technical side. We already have experience against Ukrainian teams because we played Dynamo Kyiv in the league phase. We will be ready when the time comes."
Dean Henderson, Crystal Palace goalkeeper: "We came off the back of an extraordinary season last year and, despite some difficult moments this season, we've managed to reach the semi-finals. We're starting to build momentum at just the right time, and it's fantastic."
Reporter's view
Piotr Kozmiński, match reporter
To follow.