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MuEN wrote:Drug ban for Darijo Srna

Shakhtar Donetsk have been rocked in the build up to Tuesday night’s match in Manchester.

That’s after news has broken that their club captain, Darijo Srna, has been banned from playing against City.

News has broken that the 35-year-old failed a doping test back in March.

Srna has publicly denied the charges, while he’s now focused on trying to clear his name. That’s resulted in him taking a leave from action.

Srna released the following statement about failing the doping test:

Firstly and most importantly, I would like to make it clear that I have never knowingly or intentionally taken any prohibited substance, nor unfairly intended to gain a competitive advantage. I am investigating the possible source of the substance and am cooperating fully with NADCU in this respect.

In order to focus on my defence and avoid any undue distractions for the team, I have made the decision to refrain myself from playing until the ongoing legal proceedings have been resolved. I will now be focused entirely on clearing my name and reputation.

On the morning of September 25, the Miners flew to the UEFA Champions League matchday 2 game venue

Fonseca’s 20 men

At 10:30 am, the plane with the Donetsk delegation on board headed for Manchester. The squad list for the game vs Man City includes 20 players:

goalkeepers: Andriy Pyatov, Mykyta Shevchenko, Oleh Kudryk;
defenders: Bohdan Butko, Ismaily, Marcio Azevedo, Yaroslav Rakits’kyy, Ivan Ordets, David Khocholava;
midfielders: Taras Stepanenko, Fred, Alan Patrick, Viktor Kovalenko, Marlos, Taison, Bernard, Dentinho, Ivan Petriak;
forwards: Gustavo Blanco Leschuk, Facundo Ferreyra.

Four-hour flight

The Donetsk club executives headed by the CEO Sergei Palkin, a group of reporters and Shakhtar U19 team also flew with the senior team to Manchester. Serhii Shyschenko’s boys are to take on their City counterparts in the UEFA Youth League round 2 tomorrow. The flight to England lasted nearly four hours. At 2:10 pm, the airplane landed at the Manchester Airport.

Media activities

Shakhtar will have some traditional pre-match media events tonight. At 7:00 pm, Shakhtar head coach Paulo Fonseca and midfielder Taras Stepanenko will answer the reporters’ questions (watch the live stream in the official Facebook page). After the press conference, the Orange-and-Blacks will hold an open training session on the City of Manchester pitch.

The news article features Kyiv time (EET)

Justified logic wrote:Oh no! We're doomed.

Dwaring wrote:Saw this article today. Quite intesteing to see how much possession City and Shakhtar enjoy. Something has to give.

http://www.football-observatory.com/IMG ... index.html

Mikhail Chigorin wrote:I could be quite worried about this one, with their attacking threat (perhaps a sort of parallel with Monaco last season), except that I can't honestly say I'm that bothered about the Chumps League, which takes the edge off things in some form of mitigation.

I know I should be bothered about this competition; it is City after all and our owners really want to win it but it's hard to take a corrupt UEFA 'shindig' of this nature seriously, after all they've done to us over the years.

However, to follow in the footsteps of a certain Scouse tipster, who knows nothing about football IMHO, I'll throw all pessimistic thoughts in the bin and go for 2-0 to City.

Swales4ever wrote:

Justified logic wrote:Oh no! We're doomed.

nope, JL.
a two goals break can still fall under the notion of a cheeky prudent assessment, given recent outcomes and particularly when falling under the proposition of expecting an open attacking attitude from opponents.

Nonetheless I'm with You: I wish our reverred Chessmaster went Typical City once again.

Swales4ever wrote:obliged Sir

Mikhail Chigorin wrote:

Swales4ever wrote:

Justified logic wrote:Oh no! We're doomed.

nope, JL.
a two goals break can still fall under the notion of a cheeky prudent assessment, given recent outcomes and particularly when falling under the proposition of expecting an open attacking attitude from opponents.

Nonetheless I'm with You: I wish our reverred Chessmaster went Typical City once again.

Oh heck, I'd completely forgotten that Bravo will be in goal.........can I now change my prediction to a 3-2 City defeat ??

You know it makes sense..........

carl_feedthegoat wrote:

Mikhail Chigorin wrote:

Swales4ever wrote:

Justified logic wrote:Oh no! We're doomed.

nope, JL.
a two goals break can still fall under the notion of a cheeky prudent assessment, given recent outcomes and particularly when falling under the proposition of expecting an open attacking attitude from opponents.

Nonetheless I'm with You: I wish our reverred Chessmaster went Typical City once again.

Oh heck, I'd completely forgotten that Bravo will be in goal.........can I now change my prediction to a 3-2 City defeat ??

You know it makes sense..........

If Bravo is in goal I just won't watch.