Sporting CP vs Bologna prediction: EUROPE: Champions League – League phase betting tips on match 2025-01-28 20:00.
[p]Sporting CP won 2-0 against Nacional to consolidate their position at the top of the Liga Portugal table at the weekend, but their fate in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) is still up in the air, with anything less than a win against Bologna leaving the door open to the top-24 chasing pack. The Lions looked a shoo-in to progress after starting this season’s campaign with an unbeaten four-game run (W3, D1), but three consecutive defeats put them in a tricky spot.[/p]
[p]Manager Rui Borges oversaw the 2-1 defeat at Leipzig on his UCL bow and knows his side can ill afford a repeat result here. Estádio José Alvalade is perhaps his best chance to get back on track, as Sporting have won 13 of their 15 competitive games at this venue this season (L2), including a 4-1 win over Manchester City on matchday four, the second-last game of Ruben Amorim’s reign.[/p]
[p]Bologna have nothing but pride to play for, getting eliminated in the last round despite a come-from-behind 2-1 home win against Borussia Dortmund on matchday seven – their maiden win in the UCL and a first in any major European competition since November 1999. The RossoblĂą followed it up with another fightback at the weekend, coming from a goal behind to draw 1-1 against Empoli and stretch their impressive run to just one defeat from their last 12 competitive matches (W6, D5).[/p]
[p]One of those stalemates was a matchday six goalless draw against Benfica, extending unbeaten recent run against Portuguese opposition in European competitions to three matches (W2, D1). The challenge for Vincenzo Italiano’s men now is to be more efficient, as only seven of their 30 shots have been on target across their last three UCL away matches (D1, L2), accounting for their inability to score in any of those trips.[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Sporting’s Morten Hjulmand could do well staying away from danger, having picked up two yellow cards after the 80th minute across his last four UCL matches and one in two personal H2Hs. Thijs Dallinga could be the hero if Bologna fall behind as five of his last six club goals served to make the score 1-1. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: Sporting’s last six UCL games saw the match opener arrive within the first 25 minutes.[/p]
[p]Written by Sridhar B[/p]