Sporting CP vs Dortmund prediction: EUROPE: Champions League – Play Offs betting tips on match 2025-02-10 20:00.
[p]Portugal’s Sporting CP progressed beyond the main draw of the UEFA Champions League (UCL) for just the third time in ten attempts, though a failure to win any of their final four such matches meant they only scraped through on goal difference (D1, L3). But even as the unseeded team in this first of two knockout phase play-off legs against Borussia Dortmund, they enter as favourites to hold the advantage ahead of the return fixture. [/p]
[p]That’s not only because of a 3-1 home victory the last time these sides met in 2021/22, but also owing to the Lions’ formidable home record in more recent times. Sporting are yet to lose at Estádio José Alvalade under new permanent manager Rui Borges (W4, D1), who is tasked with guiding the club to the last 16 of the UCL for just the second time since 2008/09![/p]
[p]Dortmund are in an increasingly precarious position as they look to ensure their return to next season’s UCL via their Bundesliga finish, but have so far enjoyed a successful European campaign (W5, L3). Only Barcelona outscored them in the league phase, and they’re bound to be confident here given that they boast a better win rate against Portuguese opposition than sides from any other nation they’ve faced more than ten times (W9, L5).[/p]
[p]History is against the Black and Yellows here however, as Dortmund have won the away leg in just two of their last 12 two-legged knockout UCL ties (D1, L9), though last season’s semi-final win at PSG (1-0) is a recent success. New boss Niko Kovač may be able to use his personal experience to lift his men for the occasion, as no manager has taken charge of as many UCL away games without ever tasting defeat as his six with Bayern Munich (W4, D2). [/p]
[p]Players to watch: Viktor Gyökeres finished as Sporting’s only player to record multiple goals (six) during the league phase, but he was outgunned by Serhou Guirassy, who topped the league phase goalscoring charts with Robert Lewandowski (nine), meaning he needs just one more to tie the all-time record for goals in a UCL season by a Dortmund player.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Sporting and Dortmund are two of the four teams who scored in all eight of their league phase games. [/p]
[p][i]Written by Aaron Murphy[/i][/p]