Guide to Champions League 2007/08! Shakhtar Donetsk

SHAKHTAR DONETSK
Ukraine League runner-up
Champions League pedigree - Group stage: 2004/05, 2006/-07

THE LOWDOWN:
Owner Rinat Akhmetov, a billionaire businessman, is the Ukraine's answer to Roman Abramovich and has never counted the pennies while investing heavily in high-price foreign talent and the club's facilities; they boast a state of the art training centre and next year will inaugurate a new £120million 50,000-seater stadium. Three domestic league titles in the last five years are all well and good, but what Akhmetov really craves is Europe-wide credibility and that means surviving until March.

Despite their obvious financial clout, Shakhtar could not, however, prevent their three best players exiting stage left in the off-season. Brazilian midfield ace Elano was lured away by Sven-Goran Eriksson's Manchester City, Romanian striker Ciprian Marica went to German champions Stuttgart and Brazilian playmaker Matuzalem signed for Real Zaragoza. Akhmetov's response was immediate, spending £27million on among others Mexican creator Nery Castillo, Brazilian full-back Ilsinho from Sao Paulo and much-travelled Italian striker Cristiano Lucarelli (ex-Livorno).

THE TECHNICAL AREA:
Veteran Romanian coach Mircea Lucescu certainly knows how to produce championship-winning teams, having done so with Dinamo and Rapid Bucharest, Turkish sides Galatasaray and Besiktas and now Shakhtar. He has also taken charge of Romania and Serie A clubs Inter Milan, Reggiana, Brescia and Pisa. A strict disciplinarian and clever tactician, he normally plumps for a 4-4-2 formation with the emphasis on possession and a very active, industrious midfield diamond.

Lucescu, a former Romanian international attacker, is an English-style manager who does both the coaching and is responsible for transfer policy. He can be hot-headed, often at loggerheads with referees.

THE WOW FACTOR:
Great service from the flanks is guaranteed. Right-sided midfielder, the Croat Darijo Srna and Romanian left-back Razvan Rat are both tireless, technically-gifted and can supply a wide-range of accurate balls into the box. Srna is a magnificent striker of a free-kick into the bargain.

The breathtaking flair of the Brazilians Fernandinho, Jadson and new signing from Corinthians, Willian in the middle of the park also provide some verve. Fernandinho, who can play in the centre or out wide is maturing nicely, Jadson is a wonderful dribbler and Willian will cause problems to any defence with his mobility and laser-guided shooting from distance.

Shakhtar look to have assembled a top ranking strike-force in the experienced Italian target man Cristiano Lucarelli and the exciting young Ukrainian goal poacher Oleexander Gladyy, who was the top flight's leading scorer last term with 13 goals for FC Kharkiv.

THE BIG BUY:
Fresh from a starring role in Mexico's Copa America campaign, attacking midfielder or forward Nery Castillo arrived in a £13.5million deal from Olympiakos. The 23-year-old's left-foot is something to behold and spectacular goals are a speciality, an example being his brilliant effort against Brazil this summer, flicking a ball over a defender and then volleying home. Shades of Pele in the 1958 World Cup final.

Castillo had the choice of playing for three national teams. Mexico, the land of his birth; Uruguay from where his parents hailed and Greece, who were on the verge of offering him citizenship. As a teenager he was due to join Manchester United, only for the deal to be scuppered by work permit difficulties.

THE TENDER SPOT:
The decision making of keeper Andriy Pyatov, bought from Vorskla late last year, can be called into question. He is not at all secure dealing with high balls.

Castillo could pose problems with his tendency to retaliate and his excessive individualism. He does his own thing, regardless of what team mates may think.

At times Shakhtar struggle to find the right blend of South American audacity and Eastern European athleticism and discipline. The lack of competition in their domestic league hardly prepares them for the top continental level.

HOT GOSSIP:
Although he is only 20, central defender Dytro Chygrynsky is proving himself to be an excellent captain, authoritative, calm and a good organiser of the back-line, the top clubs are bound to make him some tempting offers soon.

Sources in Greece claim Olympiakos sold Castillo to Shakhtar behind the player's back, so time will tell whether he is content with a move he never sanctioned.

IDEAL LINE UP:
Pyatov, Rat, Chygrynsky, Kucher, Ilsinho, Priyomov, Jadson, Fernandinho, Srna, Lucarelli, Gladkyy

THE VERDICT:
Away from the Ukraine, they are not half the side. Another European anti-climax.