Champions League line-ups: Bologna-Shakhtar Donetsk

BOLOGNA, ITALY - APRIL 01: Riccardo Orsolini of Bologna FC celebrates after scoring his team's first goal during the Serie A TIM match between Bologna FC and US Salernitana at Stadio Renato Dall'Ara on April 01, 2024 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

Riccardo Orsolini and Dan Ndoye start as Bologna make their Champions League debut against Ukrainians Shakhtar Donetsk.

It kicks off at the Stadio Dall’Ara at 17.45 UK time (16.45 GMT).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from this game and Manchester City-Inter on the LIVEBLOG.

The Rossoblu were able to qualify in fifth place in Serie A thanks to the expanded tournament and Italy having the best co-efficient of the European divisions.

Their only previous European Cup adventure lasted one tie, losing to Anderlecht in 1964 by a coin toss after the play-off also ended in a draw, and their last UEFA game was the Intertoto Cup Final with Fulham in August 2002.

A lot has changed since then, losing coach Thiago Motta, Riccardo Calafiori and Joshua Zirkzee, plus Lewis Ferguson injured.

Nicolò Cambiaghi and Oussama El Azzouzi are also out of action.

Orsolini and Ndoye support centre-forward and birthday boy Santiago Castro, with Giovanni Fabbian and Nikola Moro stepping into midfield.

Vincenzo Italiano reached the Final of the Conference League twice in as many seasons at Fiorentina, so is hoping his European pedigree shows here too.

He’ll need it, because Bologna have had a dismal start to the season with three draws and a 3-0 defeat to Napoli.

Shakhtar Donetsk have Tymur Puzankov out with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

Their next Champions League is also against an Italian team, facing Atalanta on October 2.

Captain Mykola Matvienko is in defence and star talent Georgiy Sudakov pulls the midfield strings.

Bologna: Skorupski; Posch, Beukema, Lucumi, Lykogiannis; Freuler, Moro; Orsolini, Fabbian, Ndoye; Castro

Shakhtar Donetsk: Riznyk; Konoplia, Bondar, Matviyenko, Pedro Henrique; Bondarenko, Kryskiv, Sudakov; Zubkov, Sikan, Eguinaldo

Ref: Saggi (NOR)

1

22

26

31

3

80

6

8

11

7

9

31

22

13

5

26

21

8

10

14

7

11

18

20

82

15

5

34

33

21

2

14

16

24

6

2

4

38

29

16

9

39

17

30

72

18