Preview: Sporting CP vs. Lask Linz · prediction, team news, line-ups
Sporting CP host LASK Linz at the Estadio Jose Alvalade on Wednesday in round three of the Champions League league phase, with kickoff at 13:00 Mexico City time (20:00 in Lisbon).
The Lions sit sixth on six points. LASK are 33rd of 36 teams and still searching for a first point.
Match preview
Sporting have made a perfect start to the league phase. They opened with a 3-1 win over Galatasaray in Lisbon and followed it with a 2-0 success at Lens on October 13. They have scored five and conceded one, giving them a goal difference of +4.
Domestic form has been mixed. Sporting drew 1-1 at Famalicao and 2-2 at home to Arouca, before winning 3-1 at Braga on October 9. They are unbeaten in their last five matches, with three wins and two draws.
Luis Suarez is the focal point. Observador credit him with nine goals in 10 games this season and as the club's all-time top scorer in the competition. He has also found the net on both previous Champions League matchdays.
LASK, by contrast, are experiencing a harsh introduction. This is their first campaign in the league phase and they have no points. They lost 1-0 at AEK Athens and 6-3 at home to Liverpool, trailing 3-0 at the break. Their goal difference is -4.
Domestic form is also a concern. They lost 2-0 to Rapid Vienna on October 11 and drew 3-3 at Hartberg, before thrashing Austria Lustenau 4-0 in the Bundesliga on Saturday. Florian Flecker has three goals and struck twice against Liverpool.
Dietmar Kuhbauer's side are Austrian champions and overturned a 3-0 first-leg deficit against Celtic in the playoffs with a 5-1 win. That resilience contrasts with defensive fragility, as they shipped six against Liverpool and two against Rapid within three days.
The head-to-head record is short and favours the Austrians. The sides have met three times in the Europa League: Sporting won 2-1 in October 2019, LASK won 3-0 in December 2019 and LASK won 4-1 in Lisbon in October 2020. The visitors have won the last two.
That history carries little weight now. According to Wettfreunde, Sporting have won six of their last seven home Champions League games, and they beat Galatasaray 3-1 in their only home outing this season.
The context is simple. A third straight win would leave the Lions well placed for a top-eight finish. A third defeat would seriously damage LASK's hopes of progressing.
Sporting CP · recent results
- WLens 0-2 Sporting CP
- WSC Braga 1-3 Sporting CP
- DSporting CP 2-2 Arouca
- DFamalicao 1-1 Sporting CP
- WSporting CP 3-1 Galatasaray
Lask Linz · recent results
- WAustria Lustenau 0-4 Lask Linz
- LLask Linz 3-6 Liverpool
- LLask Linz 0-2 Rapid Vienna
- WLask Linz 2-1 First Vienna
- DTSV Hartberg 3-3 Lask Linz
Key stats
Trends · last 5 matches
Team news
Sporting will be without Rodrigo Zalazar, who has a muscle problem in his left thigh, and Nuno Santos, who is still recovering. Zeno Debast is listed as questionable in our database, but A Bola and Sapo both report he will miss out with a muscle complaint.
Rui Borges could rotate. Leonino name Georgios Vagiannidis as a possible replacement for Ivan Fresneda. UEFA project Kaique Pereira in goal, Fresneda, Inacio, Quaresma and Maxi Araujo in defence, and Catamo, Luis Guilherme, Irankunda and Suarez further forward.
LASK are without R. Harakate through a knee injury, while K. Cheikne and A. Smakaj are off the roster. George Bello (muscle) and M. Usor (shoulder) are doubts. UEFA list no confirmed absentees.
UEFA's predicted XI is a back five of Jorgensen, Mbuyamba, Andrade, Alemao and Dibango. Bogarde, Schopf and Danek would line up in midfield, with Sasa Kalajdzic and Samuel Adeniran up front.
Sporting have the better form, greater depth and the backing of the Alvalade crowd. LASK are conceding at an alarming rate, although they can find the net on any given night. We expect home control, with Suarez a constant threat and a consolation from the visitors on the break. Sporting to win 3-1.
Match odds
+18
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