Cristiano Ronaldo scored five times against Espanyol Saturday. (Getty)
Real Madrid has an in-form Cristiano Ronaldo at their disposal as they begin the Champions League against Ukranian side Shakhtar Donetsk at home.
Ronaldo fired five goals for the second time in 2015 in a 6-0 win against Espanyol on Saturday. The goals stopped a mini-slump that included no goals in his last seven competitive matches.
Shakhtar are always a dangerous opponent and are making their 11th appearance in the group stage. Last season Shakhtar reached the Round of 16 but were eliminated in thunderous fashion by Bayern Munich.
Mircea Lucescu is one of the longest-tenured managers in top-flight football, having guided Shakhtar since 2004.
Here’s what you need to know about the match:
The Basics
Shakhtar were a step above Rapid Wien in the play-off round. (Getty)
Who:
Real Madrid vs. Shakhtar Donetsk
What:
UEFA Champions League Matchday 1
When:
Tuesday, Sept. 15
Where:
Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
Time:
2:45 p.m. Eastern time; 7.45 p.m. UK time
Channel:
Fox Sports Regional (US)/BT Sport Europe (UK): (International viewers, click here for your local provider)
Odds:
Real Madrid 1/6, Shakhtar Donetsk 14/1, Draw 13/2
Over/Under: 2.5 goals (over 4/11, under 2/1)
Cristiano Ronaldo to Score and Real Madrid to Win: 4/6
First Goalscorer: Real Madrid: Cristiano Ronaldo (11/4), Karim Benzema (7/2), Gareth Bale (4/1); Shakhtar Donetsk: Oleksandr Gladky/Eduardo/Alex Teixeira (14/1)
0-0 Draw: 25/1
Both Teams to Score: Yes 10/11, No 4/5