Shakhtar will play home matches of the Champions League at Stamford Bridge

Shakhtar has officially determined the venue for their home matches in the Champions League. The "Miners" will play matches of the main stage of the tournament at Stamford Bridge stadium in London. This was reported by the press service of the Donetsk club.

The "orange-black" team has not been able to play matches at Donbass Arena since 2014 after the Russian occupation of Donetsk. Since then, the team hosted opponents in Kyiv and Lviv, and European matches were held at stadiums in Germany, Slovenia, and Poland.

Stamford Bridge accommodates over 40,000 spectators and is the home arena of London's Chelsea. The stands are located very close to the football field, so even from distant sectors, fans have a good view. The compact design also helps create a louder and more intense atmosphere - the sound from the stands better concentrates inside the stadium.

Another advantage of compactness is the feeling of being in close proximity to the game. Unlike huge stadiums where a fan can be far from the field, at Stamford Bridge, the match is perceived more intimately and emotionally.

Shakhtar has issued an official statement regarding the choice of the London stadium as their temporary arena for Champions League matches.

"Hosting 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 matches at this special arena. Stamford Bridge is one of the most famous stadiums in world football with an incredible history and atmosphere. We are confident that Shakhtar's matches in London will provide unforgettable emotions for Ukrainian and English fans," the "miners" camp stated.

Chelsea also commented on the agreement with the Donetsk club:

"FC Shakhtar has played in various European countries, and we look forward to welcoming the team to London during their Champions League campaign this year. In the coming weeks, we will closely cooperate with the Shakhtar team to ensure safe and comfortable matches for the team and its fans."

Also, it is worth noting that last season, the "miners" played their European home matches in Krakow at the Henryk Reyman Stadium. It was there that Shakhtar played their last home European match - against Crystal Palace in the first leg of the Conference League semi-final.