Sporting CP vs Young Boys prediction: EUROPE: Europa League – Play Offs betting tips on match 2024-02-21 20:00.
After a 3-1 win in the first-leg, Sporting Lisbon hold all the aces in this UEFA Europa League knockout play-off round tie against Young Boys. The Portuguese side know their task is relatively straightforward here, but don’t be surprised to see them go for the jugular as they’ve won their last 12 home games across all competitions, scoring an impressive 49 goals in that time and conceding just eight.
Sporting felt that familiar winning feeling on Monday with a 2-0 league win away to Moreirense which saw them keep pace with their fellow title-chasers after their nearest rivals won over the weekend. They’ll now hope to keep the good times flowing by advancing into the Europa League last 16 for the second season running, and having won 11 of their 13 ties in UEFA competition in which they won the first leg away from home, there appears every chance of doing so.
Young Boys bounced back from their first-leg disappointment with a 1-0 Swiss Super League win over Stade Lausanne-Ouchy at the weekend, a result which kept their lead at the summit a healthy one. That should’ve helped build a little confidence for this trip to Lisbon, where they’re required to do something they’ve never done before in order to progress – win against Portuguese opposition (D2, L3).
That makes grim reading for their chances here, but with just four defeats from their last 13 European away matches (W4, D5), perhaps all hope isn’t lost that they can at least end their hoo-doo against Portuguese opposition. Their away record in the Europa League, however, would suggest that’s a tall order, with two wins from 16 traveling games in this competition (D7, L7) hinting at yet another miserable evening.
Key battle: Sporting defender Gonçalo Inácio has an eye for goals in the Europa League, with three so far this season after netting in the first leg, all of which came after the break. His primary role here may be to mark Cedric Itten, who has seen four of his last six goals prove decisive in victory.
Hot stat: Young Boys have scored exactly once in nine of their last 12 Europa League away games.