Donetsk's Shakhtar kicked off its campaign in the league phase of the 2025/26 Champions League not only with a valuable point but also with a unique statistical achievement. In the opening-round match against PSV, which ended 1:1 at the Philips Stadion in Eindhoven, Arda Turan's team fielded a starting XI with an average age of 24.0 years — the youngest lineup among all the teams that opened their matches in the first round of the new tournament. The only goal for the "miners" was scored by Gleicer Mendoza, who managed to bring the team a valuable point in a tense encounter with the Dutch leaders.
A Youth Record: Figures and Context
The 24.0-year figure for Shakhtar's starting lineup was a clear lead in the table of average ages across all first-round teams. The nearest chasers trail the Donetsk side by a noticeable margin: Slavia (Prague) — 24.4 years, Lens — 24.6, Feyenoord — 24.8, Como — 25.3. The top ten youngest lineups also included Leipzig (25.4), LASK (25.6), Manchester City (25.7), Porto (25.8) and Sporting (25.8). Thus, Arda Turan consciously placed his bets on youth, entrusting key roles to players who are, on average, just 24 years old.
A Generational Contrast: From Shakhtar to Napoli
At the other end of the age spectrum sat Napoli, which in its match against Arsenal fielded a starting XI with an average age of 29.2 years — the most "mature" lineup of the first round. Behind the Italians came Fenerbahce (29.1), Bayern (29.0), AEK (28.9) and Betis (28.9). The gap between Shakhtar's youngest lineup and Napoli's oldest XI exceeds five years — a figure that vividly illustrates two fundamentally different approaches to squad planning within a single tournament.
First-Round Summary and Plans for the Second
The 1:1 draw with PSV was a worthy start for Shakhtar in the Champions League league phase. Gleicer Mendoza's goal allowed the Donetsk side to pick up a point on the road against one of the group-stage favorites. Ahead for Arda Turan's team is the second round, in which the "miners" will play a nominally home match against Athens' AEK. The match will take place on October 14 in London at Stamford Bridge — the traditional venue for the Donetsk club's home matches under conditions where its home stadium is unavailable for international games.
The Significance of the Achievement for Arda Turan's Project
Setting a youth record in the first round of the new Champions League format is not just a statistical line, but a reflection of the coaching staff's philosophy. Arda Turan, who took charge of Shakhtar, continues his course on rejuvenating the squad and integrating young players into the first team at the highest European level. The ability to compete with opponents such as PSV, Manchester City or Bayern with a lineup dominated by players under 25 is a strong argument in favor of the idea that the Donetsk project can contend for high places in the league-phase standings.
