LONDON: Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk will play this season’s home matches of the UEFA Champions League league phase at Chelsea’s home of Stamford Bridge in West London.

Shakhtar ceo Sergei Palkin said: “Playing our Champions League home matches at Stamford Bridge is a very special opportunity for Shakhtar.

“Of course, our true home is Ukraine, and we all hope that very soon we will be able to play European football in front of our own fans again. But while the war makes this impossible, Stamford Bridge is an exceptional place for us to call home in Europe. It is one of the most iconic stadiums in world football, with an incredible history and atmosphere.

“We are very grateful to Chelsea for opening their doors to us, and we will do everything we can to make our matches there exciting and memorable for both Ukrainian and English fans.”

The move to Stamford Bridge also pleased System Capital Management (SCM), Ukraine’s largest investment company, which is owned by Shakhtar president Rinat Akhmetov, and sponsors the club.

A Chelsea statement said: “FC Shakhtar have played in various countries across Europe, and we look forward to welcoming the team to London during their Champions League campaign this year. Over the coming weeks, we will work closely with Shakhtar to ensure the matches are held safely and comfortably for the team and its supporters.”

Shakhtar has been unable to play home matches at the Donbas Arena since May 2014, following the outbreak of the conflict in eastern Ukraine more than 12 years ago. Since then, Shakhtar have played the majority of their domestic home matches in at Lviv, western Ukraine.

UEFA competition home fixtures have been staged mostly outside Ukraine, with the club hosting matches in Poland, Germany and Slovenia, including at the stadiums of Legia Warsaw, Wisła Kraków, Hamburg’s Volksparkstadion, Schalke’s VELTINS-Arena and Arena Stožice in Ljubljana.

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