Chelsea will host Champions League football this season after agreeing to let Shakhtar Donetsk play their home games at Stamford Bridge. The Ukrainian side have not played a match at their home stadium, the Donbas Arena, for more than 12 years due to the Russian invasion into Ukraine.
Shakhtar's temporary homes
As a result, they have played across Europe, with Shakhtar having to call the likes of Hamburg and Warsaw their temporary homes. Now they will call London their home for a year and have settled on using Chelsea's ground, having also considered playing at Brentford's Gtech Stadium.
Chelsea endured a poor year last season, going through two permanent managers, which meant they finished down in tenth and thus failed to qualify for any kind of European football. That has left Stamford Bridge free on Champions League nights, and the Blues have decided to allow Shakhtar to play their home games in west London, with the group stage draw still to be made.
Club statements
A Chelsea statement read: "FC Shakhtar have played in countries across Europe and we look forward to welcoming them to London for their Champions League campaign this year. We will be working with the Shakhtar team closely over the coming weeks to ensure that matchdays run safely and smoothly for their team and supporters."
Shakhtar themselves have thanked the Premier League side for the opportunity. They said: "Playing our Champions League home matches at Stamford Bridge is a special opportunity for Shakhtar. We are grateful to Chelsea Football Club for the opportunity to host our games at this special venue. Stamford Bridge is one of the most famous stadiums in world football, with an incredible history and atmosphere. We are convinced that Shakhtar’s matches in London will provide unforgettable emotions for Ukrainian and English fans."
Previous Stamford Bridge outing and best run
Shakhtar have only played once at Stamford Bridge, that coming in November 2012 when they were undone by a last-minute Victor Moses header in a five-goal thriller. The Ukrainian side's best effort in the Champions League came back in 2011, when they made the quarter-finals. They topped a group that included Arsenal, beating the north Londoners at home, before Pep Guardiola's Barcelona ended their journey.
