Sporting CP vs Lille prediction: EUROPE: Champions League – League phase betting tips on match 2024-09-16 19:00.
[p]Whilst their record in Europe of late hasn’t been anything special, Sporting Lisbon’s domestic form would hint they’re a force to be reckoned with in this inaugural UEFA Champions League (UCL) league phase. The Portuguese giants have started their Liga Portugal campaign in ruthless fashion, winning their opening five games by a whopping 19-2 aggregate score to go clear at the top of the league![/p]
[p]Transferring that form into Europe is the ultimate goal, a quest that starts against a Lille side they boast a 100% winning record against (W2). Opening their UCL campaign with a win in two of their last three competition appearances (L1) should have them believing they can get off to another perfect start, but a perfectly split record across their last eight UCL home games suggest this one could go either way (W4, L4). [/p]
[p]Perfectly split is also how Lille’s Ligue 1 campaign has started (W2, L2), although their preparations for this game have been less than ideal as they went down 1-0 away to lowly Saint-Étienne on Friday night. They’ll be hoping to avoid a swift double of away defeats here, but ten losses from their last 15 travelling UCL matches (W4, D1) would hint at more away day misery here. [/p]
[p]No wins from their last six matches against Portuguese opposition (D1, L5) fuels that fire, but Lille did demonstrate on their last UCL group stage appearance that they can perform on their travels. They won two of their three away group matches (L1), and now at the equivalent stage, Lille will hope to replicate that 2021/22 campaign where they advanced into the UCL knockout rounds for only the second time ever. [/p]
[p]Players to watch: One of the hottest striking properties in Europe, Sporting’s Viktor Gyökeres has scored in his last seven appearances for club or country, amassing a whopping 11 goals. Lille will lean on their own striking phenomenon in Jonathan David, who was on target in their two UCL away wins at this equivalent stage three seasons ago. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: Only one of Sporting’s last seven home games against French opposition saw both teams score. [/p]
[p][i]Written by Chris Wilson[/i][/p]