Good evening everyone! The final set of fixtures of the
Champions League group stage get underway in 30 minutes, and you can follow
Paris Saint-Germain vs.
Shakhtar Donetsk with me. PSG have already secured qualification, but can they finish off in style in the French capital?
Group A has offered up very few surprises. Real Madrid have already won the group, while PSG will progress as runners-up. Malmo currently prop up the other three sides and Shakhtar will be given the second prize of playing in the Europa League if they hold onto third spot tonight.
PSG: Trapp, Marquinhos, Kurzawa, Van der Wiel, Luiz, Stambouli, Matuidi, Rabiot, Lucas, Lavezzi, Ibrahimovic
SUBS: Sirigu, Kimpembe, Maxwell, Thiago Motta, Di Maria, Nkunku, Cavani
As expected,
Laurent Blanc hands a rest to captain Thiago Silva as he dips into his squad for tonight's game. Angel Di Maria, Thiago Motta and Edinson Cavani are named on the bench as Benjamin Stambouli gets a rare start in the centre of midfield.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic leads the line for the hosts.
SHAKHTAR: Kanibolotskiy, Kucher, Ismaily, Srna, Rakitskiy, Stepanenko, Fred, Marlos, Taison, Alex Teixeira, Eduardo
SUBS: Pyatov, Kryvtsov, Dentinho, Bernard, Malyshev, Kovalenko, Ferreyra
Shakhtar are boosted by the returns of Oleksandr Kucher and Dario Srna after their respective suspensions, while Anton Kanibolotskiy retains his place in goal. Facundo Ferreyra is among the attacking options on the bench as Eduardo starts up front.
Mircea Lusescu was generous with his praise for Laurent Blanc yesterday as his Shakhtar side bid to finish the group stage campaign on a positive note. If they claim third spot, you would back them to be a dangerous side in the Europa League.
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"There's no such thing as a PSG B team: those guys play all the time. Football is no longer a game of 11 players; it's more like with 20. All the Paris players want to play and win. Paris have bought stars and made a team with them, thanks to a great coach in Laurent Blanc," he told reporters.
PSG were in fine form when these two sides met in the reverse fixture in September. Serge Aurier marked his Champions League debut by opening the scoring, before David Luis and a Srna own goal secured a 3-0 win for the Ligue 1 champions.
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PREDICTION: It is certainly difficult to predict what we'll see from PSG tonight, but with the likes of Ibrahimovic and Ezequiel Lavezzi included, they have to be considered favourites. Shakhtar will look to hit the hosts on the break as often as possible. I fancy seeing some goals. 3-1 to PSG.
Here we go then. The two sides are heading out at the Parc de Princes. Kickoff is just a couple of minutes away.
KICKOFF! PSG get the game underway and they immediately look to get the ball forward to put the pressure on the visitors.
Lucas, who has been in impressive form this season, is involved early on as he looks to run at the heart of the Shakhtar defence before eventually being crowded out.
CHANCE! Great opportunity for Shakhtar to take an early lead. Taison produces a wonderful cross, but Eduardo can only send the ball wide on the stretch.
PSG attempt to respond to the scare at the opposite end, but Kanibolotskiy makes a routine save from Matuidi's tame effort.
CHANCE! PSG really should be in front. Kanibolotskiy makes a huge error by gifting the ball to Ibrahimovic, who can only send a chipped effort over the crossbar.
UPDATE: Good news for Shakhtar. Real Madrid have just taken the lead against Malmo thanks to a goal from Karim Benzema.
PSG are seeing more of the ball, but Shakhtar certainly look a threat when they step up the tempo in the final third. Kevin Trapp is forced off his line to make a vital contribution when Taison delivers a dangerous pass into the box.
Adrien Rabiot might be in a bit of trouble after revealing to the press that he had requested to be loaned out in January, but the midfielder is impressing in the early stages. Sitting deep in midfield, he has picked out Lucas and Lavezzi on a number of occasions.
Poor from Eduardo as he collects a cross from Srna and finds the space for a shot, before sending a weak effort straight into the arms of Trapp.
Worrying signs for Blanc when Matuidi goes down after a collision with Fred in the middle of the pitch. It looks like he should be fine to continue.
PSG are just starting to put a bit more pressure on. Lucas looks like he will be the key for the hosts, but the Brazilian is often being closed down by two defenders.
UPDATE: Another goal in Spain. Benzema gets his second of the night to make it 2-0 to Real Madrid, and as it stands, Shakhtar are heading for the Europa League.
It must be said that the pace of this game has been very slow. Every move looks a little bit too deliberate at the moment. PSG are struggling to find Ibrahimovic as another long passing move comes to an end.
Good goalkeeping from Kanibolotskiy as he collects a dangerous low cross from Lavezzi, who had found the space to run at the Shakhtar defence for the first time tonight.
Taison causes a few problems for PSG on a clever run, but the hosts twice clear dangerous crosses before they can reach Eduardo. A long spell of Shakhtar pressure ends with Rakitskiy shooting straight at Trapp from the edge of the box.
Luiz is too eager to make a challenge on the edge of the box and he brings down Fred. Ismaily fancies his chances, but the shot comes off the top of the wall on the way out.
Credit to Shakhtar. They have looked solid at the back tonight, which is not always the case on their travels. PSG are struggling to retain possession at the moment. Very little attacking play to report.
Kurzawa has been keen to get forward as much as possible and the full-back almost delivers the goods when his cross finds Ibrahimovic, who is unable to get away from his marker after bringing the ball down on his chest.
A frustrating night for Ibrahimovic continues as the Swede chases down a long ball before eventually being dispossessed by Kucher.
YELLOW CARD! Lavezzi picks up the first booking of the night for using his hand to bring the ball down on the wing.
Oh dear. Great chance for PSG with Shakhtar caught short at the back, but Lucas frustrates the home fans with a dreadful pass. Ibrahimovic was in space and it really wasn't a difficult pass for the Brazilian.
PSG spending plenty of time around the Shakhtar box in the closing stages of the first half, but the end product continues to be poor as Lavezzi misplaces a pass.
Ibrahimovic does a good job of tracking back, but it almost ends in disaster. The striker attempts to charge down a Srna cross and Shakhtar want handball. In truth, it probably would have been a harsh decision.
HALF TIME: PSG 0-0 SHAKHTAR
I'd love to be a little more positive, but it has not been a great game in the French capital so far. Despite both teams enjoying spells on top, the quality in attacking areas has been disappointing. With not much to play for, PSG have struggled to find their rhythm.
The good news for Shakhtar is that they are heading for the Europa League no matter what happens in the second half of this game. Cristiano Ronaldo has added to Benzema's brace to give Real Madrid a 3-0 half-time lead over Malmo.
Just a couple of minutes away from the restart. What do we need to see more of in the second half? Well, Lucas and Lavezzi must improve the quality of their final ball to ensure PSG add some cutting edge to their play. Shakhtar are doing well, but Eduardo could do with more support when the visitors break.
RESTART! Shakhtar get the game back underway. Difficult to be too critical of these sides in their respective positions, but let's hope for an improvement.
CHANCE! Best chance of the game so far for PSG. Lucas does well out wide before Ibrahimovic sends a pass into the path of Van der Wiel, who can only send a shot inches wide of the post.
CHANCE! Lively start to the second half as Shakhtar threaten to break the deadlock. Taison is the creator as a cross reaches Teixeira, but he fires over on the turn to the relief of Trapp.
Much better from the two teams early in the second half. The Shakhtar players are probably aware of the score between Real Madrid and Malmo. Nothing to lose from here.
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Kanibolotskiy is not a confident goalkeeper with the ball at his feet. He looks nervous when Stambouli chases the ball down and Shakhtar are let off the hook as the clearance comes back off the midfielder before heading out for a goal kick.
GOAL! PSG 1-0 SHAKHTAR
PSG finish a long spell on top by taking the lead. Matuidi and Ibrahimovic link up well early in the move, before the latter plays in Lucas, who finishes with a powerful low strike. It hasn't been his best night, but he comes up with a fine finish.
SAVE! Matuidi fancies his chances of doubling the lead with a 25-yard strike, but Kanibolotsky responds well to push the ball past the post.
PSG are all over the visitors now. Luiz heads wide from a corner under pressure, but the hosts quickly regain possession. Ibrahimovic shows his brilliance by using his chest to set up Lavezzi, who is unable to find the target with his shot.
YELLOW CARD! Not for the first time in his career, Srna has a little too much to say. He picks up a booking for disputing a decision with the referee.
It's unclear whether he is shooting or passing, but Srna gives the hosts a scare with a low strike that just evades Eduardo's outstretched boot.
SAVE! Good stop from Kanibolotsky to deny Lavezzi, who had been given too much time and space to unleash a shot from the edge of the box.
SUBS! Cavani and Di Maria are off the bench to replace Matuidi and Lavezzi. Taison then makes way for Bernard.
UPDATE: The updates from Madrid were getting out of control. Real are now 7-0 up, with Ronaldo registering four goals in what is turning into a night to forget for Malmo. Shakhtar will get the Europa League spot. We know that for certain.
PSG controlling the game now, but Ibrahimovic is off target with a powerful effort from around 30 yards out.
SAVE! Superb from Trapp. He makes a one-handed stop to deny Eduardo once again after some poor defending from the hosts. Viktor Kovalenko is off the bench to replace Marlos.
CHANCE! Ibrahimovic really should be celebrating becoming PSG's all-time leading goalscorer in Europe. Di Maria slices open the Shakhtar defence with an inch-perfect pass, but Ibrahimovic can only miscue his effort wide of the target.
SUB! Lucescu makes his final change of the night as Dentinho comes on for Eduardo.
Ibrahimovic saves the day! Rakitsky looks destined to equalise after meeting a corner, but Ibrahimovic heads off the line to keep PSG in front.
YELLOW CARD! Ismaily picks up a booking for a cynical challenge on Lucas as PSG looked to launch an attack.
YELLOW CARD! Lucas is having fun with the Shakhtar players as he takes the ball past Rakitsky, who is booked for the challenge.
GOAL! PSG 2-0 SHAKHTAR (IBRAHIMOVIC)
Ibrahimovic's 17th goal in Europe makes him PSG's leading goalscorer in UEFA competitions. Lucas flicks on a long ball and the Swedish striker makes no mistake with an emphatic finish.
SUB! Blanc makes his final change as youngster Christopher Nkunku replaces Lucas.
The fourth official confirms there will be three minutes added on.
FULL TIME: PSG 2-0 SHAKHTAR
PSG finish the group with a routine win as goals from Lucas and Ibrahimovic clinch the points against Shakhtar, who will play in the Europa League knockout stage after Real Madrid's 8-0 triumph over Malmo. That's all from our live text coverage but keep an eye out for reaction tonight. Goodbye.