PSV Eindhoven and Shakhtar Donetsk will meet at Philips Stadion on Thursday evening, as both sides begin their 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league phase campaign.PSV comes into the match after four straight Eredivisie wins, while Shakhtar starts their European campaign after a 2-1 league win away to Karpaty.Verdict: PSV Eindhoven to winBest odds: 9/20Bookmaker: 1xBetPSV EindhovenPSV are in strong form. They started the league season with a 2-2 draw against Fortuna Sittard, but since then they have won four straight matches and scored 16 goals.The 3-1 away win over Ajax was the best sign so far. PSV went to one of the hardest grounds in the Netherlands, scored three times and showed that their attack is already working well.That matters here because Shakhtar will probably not come only to defend. They have technical players, a lot of Brazilian influence in the team, and enough pace to attack when they win the ball. But if the match becomes open, that should help PSV more.Peter Bosz’s side has more attacking structure, more home advantage and more players who can decide the game around the box. Ricardo Pepi, Ivan Perisic, Guus Til and Ruben van Bommel give PSV different ways to attack, especially if Shakhtar leaves space behind the full-backs.The straight home win is short, but it still makes sense. PSV are scoring too freely right now, and this is a good chance to start the Champions League with three points.PSV Eindhoven Team NewsMauro Junior is suspended, while Dennis Man, Sami Ouaissa, Alassane Plea and Kilian Sildillia are unavailable.Sam Lammers is a fitness doubt, so Bosz may not have all his attacking depth available.Matej Kovar should start in goal, with Sergino Dest, Lutsharel Geertruida, Armando Obispo and Filip Kostic expected to form the back line.Kento Sano, Guus Til and Enzo Fernandez should be involved in midfield. PSV needs that area to be sharp because Shakhtar can play quickly through the middle if they are given time.Pepi is expected to lead the line, with Perisic and Van Bommel likely to support him from wide areas.Shakhtar DonetskShakhtar are not coming to Eindhoven in bad form. They have won four of their first five league matches and responded well after the 2-0 defeat to Polissya.The 2-1 win over Karpaty was useful because they had to come from behind. Luca Meirelles scored the equalizer, and Shakhtar eventually found a way to win a difficult away match.That should help the confidence, but this is a much harder test. PSV will attack with more speed, more bodies and more quality than Shakhtar have faced in the Ukrainian league.Arda Turan’s team can still cause problems. Alisson Santana, Newertton and Kaua Elias give them pace and directness, while Marlon Gomes and Ocheretko can help them play through pressure.The issue is defensive control. Shakhtar can look dangerous going forward, but if they lose the ball in bad areas, PSV can punish them quickly. Without Marlon Santos, the back line also looks easier to target.Shakhtar Donetsk Team NewsKiril Fesiun is out because of illness, while Marlon Santos is unavailable with a muscular problem.Pedrinho is doubtful because of a thigh issue. That is important because Shakhtar need players who can keep the ball and slow PSV down.Dmytro Riznyk should start in goal, with Vinicius Tobias, Valeriy Bondar, Mykola Matviyenko and Pedro Henrique expected in defense.Yehor Nazaryna, Oleh Ocheretko and Marlon Gomes should form the midfield. They will need to protect the defense better than usual because PSV can overload central areas and then switch quickly to the wings.Alisson Santana, Kaua Elias and Newertton are likely to start in attack. Shakhtar needs them to make counters count because long spells of possession may be difficult.PSV Eindhoven vs Shakhtar Donetsk key factors to considerPSV have won four straight Eredivisie matches.PSV have scored 16 goals across those four wins.PSV beat Ajax 3-1 away in their last league match.Shakhtar have won four of their first five Ukrainian league matches.Shakhtar beat Karpaty 2-1 in their last match.PSV beat Shakhtar 3-2 in the only previous meeting between the teams.Mauro Junior is suspended for PSV.Marlon Santos is out for Shakhtar, while Pedrinho is doubtful.ConclusionShakhtar can make this interesting if they are brave on the ball. They have pace in attack, and they will try to use the spaces behind PSV’s full-backs.The problem is that an open match should suit PSV more. The Dutch side are scoring freely, they are at home, and their attacking players already look sharp.Shakhtar may score, but they are unlikely to defend well enough for 90 minutes. PSV have more control, more final-third quality and a better match setup.The home win is the best selection.Verdict: PSV Eindhoven to winBest odds: 9/20Bookmaker: 1xBetThe post Prediction: PSV Eindhoven vs Shakhtar Donetsk appeared first on SoccerNews.