Olexandr Kucher To Miss FC Shakhtar Donetsk UEFA Match Against AS Roma

In a blow to FC Shakhtar Donetsk, it was announced that center back Olexandr Kucher is going to miss the team's first leg of the UEFA Champions League round against AS Roma.

The reason for Kucher's absence versus AS Roma game is a knee injury. Although coach Mircea Lucescu refused to go into detail as to what transpired, he did concede that "there is a serious injury" involved.  

The absence of Kucher could not have come at a worst time for the Miners. The Ukrainian side is set to face AS Roma after being in first place in the Group H UEFA Champions League.

FC Shakhtar Donetsk has won one UEFA Europa League in 2009 and has 11 appearances in the UEFA Champions League. The team has also committed 100 fouls in the last 16 matches of the UEFA Champions League before the first legs.

Razvan Rat and Olexiy Gai may receive a suspension with the next booking that they receive.

The positive side is that midfielder Luiz Adriano scored the team's 50th goal in the UEFA Champions League Group H stage, so there remains hope that Kucher's absence might be lessened as other players like him rise to fill the void.

Unfortunately, defence remains an issue and the team conceded 197 goals in the UEFA Champions League competition.  Story lines a plenty and it remains to be seen what will transpire in the next match against AS Roma.