Sporting CP will Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, looking to get closer to a place in the round of 16.
Sporting CP have struggled vs Borussia Dortmund in recent years, and they will be looking to make amends here. The Primeira Liga champions have been difficult to beat in recent weeks, and they are unbeaten in five of the last six matches in all competitions.
On the other hand, Borussia Dortmund have been quite inconsistent, and they have picked up just two wins from the last six matches in all competitions. The Black and Yellows have lost three of those outings as well.
Niko Kovac’s men will need to raise their performance levels to grind out a positive result away from home and give themselves a good chance of making it to the next round of the competition.
With the second leg of the tie at home, Borussia Dortmund will look to grind out a reasonably good result vs Sporting CP, and they will look to get the job done in front of their fans. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Sporting CP
Sporting CP are lacking in quality when it comes to the midfield department, and they will be without Morten Hjulmand, who is suspended. Meanwhile, Joao Simoes is out injured. Pedro Goncalves and Nuno Santos are long-term absentees, while Geny Catamo also misses out.
The home are likely to shape up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Franco Israel in goal. Ivan Fresneda and Maximiliano Araujo will start in the full-back areas. They will look to contribute at both ends of the pitch. Ousmane Diomande and Goncalo Inacio will pair up at the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Hidemasa Morita and Zeno Debast will line up in the double pivot in the middle of the park. They will look to protect the defensive unit and break down the opposition’s attacking moves.
Francisco Trincao and Geovany Quenda will start in the wide areas, and they will look to add pace and flair to the side. Daniel Braganca will start as the central attacking midfielder, and he will look to create opportunities for his teammates. Viktor Gyokeres will lead the line for Sporting CP vs Borussia Dortmund.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Israel; Fresneda, Diomande, Inacio, Araujo; Morita, Debast; Trincao, Braganca, Quenda, Gyokeres
Borussia Dortmund
Carney Chukwuemeka is injured, while Felix Nmecha and Niklas Sule are also ruled out. Borussia Dortmund will shape up in a 4-2-3-1 formation vs Sporting CP, with Gregor Kobel in goal.
Julian Ryerson and Ramy Bensebaini will start in the full-back areas. They will look to keep things compact defensively and hit Sporting CP on the break. Waldemar Anton and Nico Schlotterbeck will pair up at the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Emre Can and Pascal Gross will add physicality and defensive cover to the side. Julian Brandt will start as the attacking midfielder, and he will carve out opportunities for his teammates.
Karim Adeyemi and Jamie Gittens will start in the wide areas. They will look at pace and flair to the side from the flanks. Finally, Serhou Guirassy will lead the line for Borussia Dortmund vs Sporting CP.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Kobel; Ryerson, Anton, Schlotterbeck, Bensebaini; Can, Gross; Adeyemi, Brandt, Gittens; Guirassy
Key Stats
- Borussia Dortmund have lost thee of their last six matches in all competitions.
- Sporting CP are unbeaten in five of their last six matches in all competitions.
- Borussia Dortmund have won three of the last four meetings vs Sporting CP.
- Nine goals have been scored in the last four meetings between these two sides.
- Borussia Dortmund have won the away leg in just two of their last 12 UEFA Champions League two legged knockout ties (D1 L9), beating Sevilla in the 2020/21 last 16 (3-2) and PSG in last season’s semi-final (1-0).
Player to Watch
Viktor Gyokeres
The Swedish striker has been in phenomenal form this season, and he has 34 goals in all competitions. Gyokeres will look to continue in his rich vein of form and punish Borussia Dortmund for their defensive vulnerability.
Sporting CP will look to grind out a positive result at home in the first leg to give themselves a good chance of making it to the next round of the competition. They will depend on their star striker to find the back of the net here. The Swede will look to create goalscoring opportunities for his teammates as well.
Prediction
Sporting CP 2-1 Borussia Dortmund
The home side will be the favourites heading into this contest, and they should be able to grind out a win here. Sporting CP have been difficult to beat in recent weeks, and Borussia Dortmund will struggle to get a good result here.
The Black and Yellows have been quite inconsistent in recent weeks, and they will find it difficult against the Portuguese outfit away from home. They will look to put up a fight here, but Sporting CP have significant quality in the attacking unit, and they should be able to find a way past tomorrow’s opposition. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for Rui Borges and his charges.
