Shakhtar Donetsk and Crystal Palace meet on Thursday, 30 April 2026, in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League semi-final at the Henryk Reyman Municipal Stadium in Kraków, Poland. Kick-off is scheduled for 9:00 PM local time, or 8:00 PM BST, with the return leg taking place at Selhurst Park on 7 May.
This is a historic occasion for both clubs, although for very different reasons. Shakhtar are appearing in their fourth major European semi-final and are the first Ukrainian club ever to reach the last four of the Conference League. Crystal Palace, meanwhile, are preparing for the first major European semi-final in their history during what is effectively their first full campaign in UEFA competition.
Shakhtar have considerably more continental experience, having won the UEFA Cup in 2009 and reached the Europa League semi-finals in both 2016 and 2020. Palace's only previous appearance in Europe before this season was a brief Intertoto Cup campaign in 1998.
There is also a unique piece of European history attached to Thursday's match: this is the first UEFA men's club competition semi-final between teams from Ukraine and England.
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Shakhtar Donetsk vs Crystal Palace Head-to-Head Summary
There is no previous head-to-head record between these clubs because Thursday's game will be their first competitive meeting.
Shakhtar Donetsk wins: 0
Crystal Palace wins: 0
Draws: 0
Shakhtar Donetsk goals: 0
Crystal Palace goals: 0
Total goals: 0
That means there is no direct historical form from which to judge the matchup, but both clubs have relevant experience against teams from each other's countries.
Shakhtar have faced English opposition 19 times in UEFA competition, recording five victories, four draws and 10 defeats. Their most recent win over an English club came against Manchester City in the 2017/18 Champions League, and they are winless in their five meetings with Premier League opposition since then, drawing once and losing four times.
The Ukrainian club has also failed to score in six of their last eight matches against English opponents. However, all five of Shakhtar's victories against Premier League clubs have come in games where they were designated as the home team.
Their previous two-legged knockout experience against English opposition is evenly split. Shakhtar eliminated Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 on aggregate on their way to winning the 2008/09 UEFA Cup, but Fulham knocked them out 3-2 on aggregate in the Europa League the following season.
Crystal Palace have faced Ukrainian opposition only once. That match came earlier this season when the Eagles defeated Dynamo Kyiv 2-0 in Lublin, Poland, during the Conference League league phase. Their familiarity with travelling to Poland could therefore provide some useful experience ahead of Thursday's semi-final.
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Shakhtar Donetsk's Road to the Semi-Final
Shakhtar's European campaign has been unusually long. After beginning the season in Europa League qualifying, Arda Turan's team eventually entered the Conference League and finished sixth in the league phase with 13 points, earning direct qualification for the round of 16.
Their league-phase record included four victories, one draw and one defeat. That strong finish allowed them to avoid the knockout play-off round and move directly into the last 16. Lech Poznań provided their first knockout opponent. Shakhtar won the first leg 3-1 away from home before losing 2-1 in Kraków, progressing 4-3 on aggregate.
They then produced an impressive quarter-final performance against AZ Alkmaar. After a goalless first half in Kraków, Pedrinho opened the scoring before Alisson Santana struck twice in quick succession to secure a 3-0 first-leg victory.
Shakhtar drew the second leg 2-2 in the Netherlands, with Alisson and Luca Meirelles scoring, completing a comfortable 5-2 aggregate victory. Their overall European numbers show just how difficult Turan's team have been to eliminate. Shakhtar had lost only two of their 18 European matches this season before the semi-final, with 10 wins and six draws. They have also lost the first leg in only one of their previous 29 two-legged European ties.
That resilience is particularly impressive considering the logistical challenges surrounding the club. Shakhtar have been unable to play in Donetsk since 2014 and continue to stage their European home matches outside Ukraine because of the ongoing war. Club chief executive Serhii Palkin described this season's continental run as important both sporting-wise and emotionally for people in Ukraine.
Crystal Palace's Road to the Semi-Final
Crystal Palace's first major European campaign has already produced club history. The Eagles began by beating Norwegian side Fredrikstad 1-0 on aggregate in qualifying before entering the Conference League league phase.
Their first match in the competition proper could hardly have gone better. Palace travelled to Poland and defeated Dynamo Kyiv 2-0, with Daniel Muñoz and Eddie Nketiah scoring.
Their league-phase campaign was more inconsistent after that. Palace lost 1-0 at home to AEK Larnaca, beat AZ Alkmaar 3-1, lost 2-1 to Strasbourg, defeated Shelbourne 3-0 and drew 2-2 with KuPS. They finished 10th with 10 points, narrowly missing automatic qualification for the round of 16.
Palace therefore had to eliminate Zrinjski Mostar in the knockout play-offs, drawing 1-1 away before winning 2-0 at Selhurst Park for a 3-1 aggregate victory. AEK Larnaca then provided a difficult round-of-16 test. After a goalless first leg in South London, Palace needed extra time in Cyprus, where two goals from Ismaïla Sarr eventually secured a 2-1 victory. The quarter-final against Fiorentina produced their biggest European statement yet.
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Jean-Philippe Mateta converted a penalty, Tyrick Mitchell added the second and Sarr scored late as Palace won the first leg 3-0 at Selhurst Park. Fiorentina responded with a 2-1 victory in Florence, but Sarr's first-half goal helped Palace control the aggregate situation and advance 4-2. Palace have now won each of their four two-legged European ties and have lost only three of their 14 Conference League matches this season.
Shakhtar Donetsk Current Form
Shakhtar enter the semi-final in excellent form. UEFA lists their six-match sequence before Thursday as W-W-W-D-D-W, with the most recent result a 3-1 Ukrainian Premier League victory away to Kudrivka on 26 April.
They also remain top of the Ukrainian Premier League. Before the Kudrivka fixture, Shakhtar held first place with 57 points from 24 matches and possessed the division's strongest goal difference. Their subsequent 3-1 victory maintained their position at the top.
Their wider run is even more impressive. Shakhtar had lost only once in their previous 23 matches in all competitions going into the Palace game. That combination of domestic form and European experience makes Turan's team considerably more dangerous than their Conference League status might initially suggest.
Crystal Palace Current Form
Crystal Palace arrive in Kraków after a 3-1 Premier League defeat away to Liverpool on 25 April. That loss ended an eight-match unbeaten sequence for Glasner's team. UEFA lists Palace's previous six results in all competitions as L-D-L-W-W-W, most recent first.
In the Premier League, Palace sit 13th with 43 points after 34 matches. They have won 11, drawn 10 and lost 12, scoring 36 goals and conceding 39. Their domestic campaign has been inconsistent, partly because their European run has added a demanding schedule. However, Palace have repeatedly produced their strongest performances in cup competitions under Glasner.
They won the FA Cup last season and also lifted the Community Shield before the start of this campaign. Glasner himself has significant European pedigree after guiding Eintracht Frankfurt to the Europa League title in 2022. With the Austrian manager already confirming that he will leave Palace at the end of the season, the opportunity to finish his tenure with another trophy adds extra significance to this semi-final.
Home and Away Analysis
Although Shakhtar are officially the home team, Kraków is obviously not their traditional home. The ongoing war means they have had to stage European fixtures outside Ukraine, with the Henryk Reyman Municipal Stadium serving as their principal European venue this season. Their quarter-final performance there showed that the unusual circumstances have not prevented them from producing strong results, as they defeated AZ Alkmaar 3-0.
The club's extraordinary travel demands also make their European record more impressive. Shakhtar have maintained their competitiveness despite lacking a permanent European home base and repeatedly travelling long distances between domestic and continental fixtures.
Palace, meanwhile, have already experienced European football in Poland this season. Their 2-0 win over Dynamo Kyiv in Lublin was their first match in a major UEFA competition proper and demonstrated that they can produce a disciplined away performance against Ukrainian opposition. Around 6,000 Palace supporters are also expected in Kraków, giving the Eagles considerable travelling support for the biggest European night in the club's history.
Tactical Matchup and Style of Play
1. Shakhtar Donetsk
Turan has built a technically ambitious Shakhtar side around a combination of Ukrainian players and young Brazilian talent. The Ukrainian champions are comfortable building patiently from defence before accelerating attacks through their wide players.
UEFA's expected lineup has Kauã Elias leading the attack with Alisson Santana and Eguinaldo providing support, while Pedrinho and Marlon Gomes offer creativity from midfield. Their Brazilian attacking group has been particularly influential during the knockout stages. Shakhtar scored four goals across their tie against Lech Poznań and five against AZ Alkmaar.
Kauã Elias is one player Palace must monitor carefully. Ahead of the AZ second leg, he had recorded 11 goals and five assists during the campaign, while Pedrinho had eight goals and nine assists. Shakhtar should expect to have spells of possession, but Palace's counterattacking threat means Turan's full-backs cannot advance recklessly.
2. Crystal Palace
Palace are expected to continue with Glasner's familiar 3-4-2-1 shape. Chris Richards, Maxence Lacroix and Jaydee Canvot can form the back three, with Muñoz and Mitchell providing width as wing-backs. Adam Wharton and Daichi Kamada are capable of progressing possession through midfield, while Sarr and Yéremy Pino can support Mateta in attack.
Palace's biggest threat could come in transition. Shakhtar want to control possession and commit players forward, potentially creating space for Sarr and Pino to attack behind their defensive line. Mateta's physical strength also gives Palace a focal point when they need to play more directly.
Ismaïla Sarr enters the semi-final as one of the competition's standout performers. He has scored in each of Palace's previous three European matches, registering four goals during that sequence, and UEFA lists him as the leading scorer remaining in the competition with seven goals.
Shakhtar Donetsk Team Injuries and News
Shakhtar's injury situation has improved since the quarter-final. Dmytro Kryskiv, Marlon Gomes and Isaque had all missed matches earlier in April, while Eguinaldo had been dealing with a shoulder injury.
Marlon and Eguinaldo were both back among the expected starters by the eve of the Palace semi-final, while Kryskiv had also progressed sufficiently in his recovery to return to the squad picture. Turan therefore has most of his important attacking options available for what is Shakhtar's biggest European match since their 2020 Europa League semi-final.
Crystal Palace Team Injuries and News
Palace have several confirmed absentees. Cheick Doucouré, Evann Guessand and Eddie Nketiah are unavailable. Doucouré has been dealing with a muscle problem, Guessand is recovering from a knee injury, and Nketiah remains sidelined with a thigh problem.
There is encouraging news regarding Guessand. Glasner said on 29 April that the forward's knee was responding well and that Palace were working towards potentially having him available for a limited role in the second leg at Selhurst Park.
Tyrick Mitchell had been the major concern ahead of the trip after experiencing an Achilles problem, but the left wing-back travelled with the squad to Kraków. His availability is especially important because of the balance he provides on Palace's left side.
Players to Watch
For Shakhtar, Kauã Elias represents one of the biggest attacking threats. The Brazilian forward combines movement inside the penalty area with the ability to link with Shakhtar's technically gifted wide players. Alisson Santana is another player Palace must watch closely after scoring twice during the 3-0 quarter-final first-leg win against AZ.
For Palace, Ismaïla Sarr is the clear danger man. Seven Conference League goals and strikes in each of his previous three European appearances make him the most in-form attacker in this tie. Mateta will also be important because his physical presence could help Palace escape Shakhtar's pressure and create room for Sarr and Pino on either side.
Shakhtar Donetsk vs Crystal Palace: Who is the Favourite to Win?
This is a difficult semi-final to call because each club brings a very different type of strength. Shakhtar have far more European experience, sit top of their domestic league and have lost only two European matches all season. Their record of losing the opening leg in only one of their previous 29 European ties also shows how well they normally manage these occasions.
Palace, however, have already demonstrated that a lack of European history does not mean a lack of European quality. They defeated Dynamo Kyiv in Poland, eliminated Fiorentina 4-2 on aggregate and have now won four consecutive two-legged UEFA ties.
The Eagles also possess the type of counterattacking threat that could punish Shakhtar if Turan's team becomes too aggressive in front of their nominal home crowd. Glasner will know there is little need to force the game with the second leg taking place at Selhurst Park. Palace's priority should be to remain organised, control Shakhtar's technical attackers and ensure they return to South London with the tie firmly alive.
Shakhtar's current form and European resilience make them difficult to beat, while Palace have enough pace and attacking quality to create chances even without dominating possession. That balance makes a tight first leg the most likely outcome.