Cold, snow, goals... What a great duel we had in 2007!

Benfica returns to Ukraine, a country where it faced Shakhtar Donetsk in December 2007 under heavy snow, with negative temperatures at around -10 degrees Celsius. The duel takes place again at 5:55 pm on Thursday. 

In this new chapter of the story, there is a geographical difference: the re-encounter will be at OSK Metalist Stadium, in Kharkiv, a city located about 30 kilometers from the border with Russia.

From the Champions to the Europa League

Benfica will face Shakhtar which are three-time champions and dominate Ukrainian football, whose hopes of extending their UEFA Champions League 2019/20 participation ended in round 6. They needed a win against Atalanta in Kharkiv to secure qualification in Group C, they lost by 0-3.

The men under the Portuguese coach Luís Castro only clinched a win in the group stage (2-1), and it was away at Atalanta. After that, they drew three consecutive matches: two against Dínamo Zagreb (2-2 and 3-3, at home and away, respectively ) and the third (1-1) away at Manchester City, who had won by 3-0 in Kharkiv, in the opening round.

Two leader

In the domestic competitions, just like Benfica, Shakhtar tops the league table. The Ukrainians lead with 50 points – 14 ahead of the Dynamo Kyiv –, the result of 16 wins and two draws in 18 rounds.

Caption: Top 5: leading scorers in 2019/20

Fire from Cardozo in the ice of Donetsk

December 4, 2007. It was in the extreme cold of Donetsk - where temperatures were around minus 10 degrees Celsius - that Benfica ensured continuity in European competitions, securing the presence in the UEFA Cup (predecessor to the Europa League), after beating Shakhtar by 2-1 with a brace from Óscar Cardozo. The starting XI featured two names that are still linked to Benfica today, but now in other roles: Luisão and Rui Costa.

Shakhtar-Benfica, 1-2

Benfica and Shakhtar lock horns at 5:55 pm GMT this Thursday, in Kharkiv, in the 1^st leg of the last 32 of the Europa League. The 2^nd leg will be played in Lisbon on February 27 (Thursday). The tickets are on sale.

Text: Filipa Fernandes Garcia

Photos: Archive / SL Benfica and UEFA.com