To listen to Mircea Lucescu, you’d think everything in Ukrainian football is stacked against him and his Shakhtar Donetsk side.

Arsenal midfielder Samir Nasri will have his ankle injury assessed before a decision is made whether he travels with the rest of the squad to Ukraine for the Champions League clash against Dynamo Kiev.

LOKOMOTIV MOSCOW brushed away close-season cobwebs to defeat French league leaders Monaco 2-1 in the first leg of the Champions League first knockout round last night.