Barcelona’s bid to secure an early spot in the Champions League knockout stages suffered a major setback as they were stunned 1-0 by Shakhtar Donetsk in Hamburg. The Ukrainian side’s Danylo Sikan scored the game’s decisive goal, connecting with Giorgi Gocholeishvili’s precise cross with a looping header.
Despite dominating possession throughout the match, Barcelona were unable to break down Shakhtar’s resilient defense. The Catalans needed just a point to confirm qualification from Group H with two games remaining, but Shakhtar’s disciplined display denied them the opportunity.
Xavi’s side still leads Group H with 9 points and can secure progression if they avoid defeat against Porto in their next fixture on November 28. Shakhtar, who last defeated Barcelona in 2008, now sit third in the group with 6 points.
The win is a significant boost for Marino Pusic’s Shakhtar team, who are aiming to reach the Champions League knockout stages for the first time since the 2017-18 season, when they were eliminated in the round of 16 by Roma.
This result keeps the race for Group H qualification wide open, setting up a crucial showdown in the coming matches.
