Sporting Lisbon vs Lille: Champions League Clash
Champions League

Sporting Lisbon vs Lille: Champions League Clash

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Marking their first-ever Champions League meeting, Sporting Lisbon vs Lille will take place at Estadio Jose Alvalade on Tuesday. This match kicks off the competition’s new-look league phase.

Sporting Lisbon: A Resurgent Force

The Portuguese champions, Sporting Lisbon, are firing on all cylinders under the guidance of Ruben Amorim. They have become a growing force on the continental scene, having progressed to the knockout stages of UEFA competitions for three consecutive seasons. This includes one appearance in the Champions League and two in the Europa League.

In the previous Europa League season, Sporting finished second in their group behind eventual champions Atalanta BC. They then defeated Young Boys 4-2 on aggregate in the knockout-round playoffs, setting up a rematch with Atalanta in the last 16. Although they were eliminated by Atalanta, Sporting completed an impressive campaign in the Primeira Liga, claiming their 20th league title with 90 points—10 clear of arch-rivals Benfica.

Despite starting the 2024-25 season with a loss to Porto in the Portuguese Supertaca, the Lions have a flawless league record so far. Under Amorim’s leadership, they have achieved five wins from five matches. Currently, they sit five points clear at the top of the league, having scored 19 goals and conceded just two. Top striker Viktor Gyokeres is in fine form, recently scoring his 50th goal in 55 appearances for Sporting during a 2-0 home win over Porto.

Lille: Seeking Consistency

Lille, on the other hand, is still searching for consistency after a change in management. They last featured in the Champions League proper three years ago, reaching the knockout stages for only the second time. In that campaign, they topped their group but were eliminated by Chelsea in the last 16.

Last season, Lille reached the quarter-finals of the Europa Conference League, only to exit on penalties to Aston Villa. They had previously gone unbeaten in that tournament, winning five games and drawing three. However, their dreams of glory faded once again.

Lille has struggled in recent away games, winning just two of their last nine matches in Europe. However, they managed to secure a spot in the Champions League group stage by edging past Fenerbahce in the third qualifying round. An extra-time penalty from Jonathan David was crucial in that match. Shortly after, Lille overcame a tough playoff tie against Slavia Prague, winning 3-2 on aggregate.

With Bruno Genesio now at the helm, having replaced Milan-bound coach Paulo Fonseca, Lille started the season strong with two wins. However, they have since lost their last two matches, including a recent 1-0 defeat at Saint-Etienne. As they prepare to host mighty Real Madrid in their second matchday, Genesio’s men will be eager to halt their downturn by upsetting Sporting Lisbon.

Sporting Lisbon vs Lille:  Team News Ahead of the Clash

Both teams boast potent attacking options. Sporting Lisbon’s lineup is expected to feature Pedro Goncalves, Francisco Trincao, and Viktor Gyokeres. Gyokeres has already scored eight times this season, including a hat-trick against Farense. He has also netted in all three previous home games he has started in Europe.

However, Ruben Amorim may be without his first-choice goalkeeper, Vladan Kovacevic, who recently sustained an ankle injury. Franco Israel is likely to step in as the starting goalkeeper. Additionally, centre-back Jeremiah St. Juste is unavailable for selection.

On the Lille side, Mitchel Bakker has recently joined the squad, but Ethan Mbappe is sidelined due to a minor injury. Other players, including Ngal’ayel Mukau, Hakon Haraldsson, and Ismaily, are also out of action. Rafael Fernandes and Tiago Santos, both former youth players at Sporting, may feature in the match, with Santos likely to play on the right flank.

Midfielder Angel Gomes, who recently made his England debut, is expected to join Kosovan winger Edon Zhegrova in supporting star striker Jonathan David. David has been Lille’s leading scorer over the past three Ligue 1 seasons.

Sporting Lisbon vs Lille:  Possible Starting Lineups

Sporting Lisbon:

  • Franco; Quaresma, Diomande, Inacio; Quenda, Morita, Hjulmand, Catamo; Trincao, Goncalves; Gyokeres

Lille:

  • Chevalier; Diakite, Mandi, Alexsandro; Santos, Andre, Gomes, Gudmundsson; Zhegrova, Cabella; David

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