Champions League | League Stage

Nov 5, 2024 at 8pm UK

Estadio Jose Alvalade

Sporting Lisbonvs.Man City

Match preview

The City faithful should have arrived at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday with a bounce in their step as news filtered through that Arsenal had slipped up at Newcastle United in the Premier League title race, giving the champions the chance to move eight points clear of the Gunners.

However, Guardiola's red-hot side would deservedly end the day on a high after a shock 2-1 defeat at Bournemouth, with the ever-dangerous Antoine Semenyo and Evanilson netting before Josko Gvardiol's consolation.

With Liverpool doing what City could not and coming from behind at home to Brighton & Hove Albion, Guardiola's side find themselves two points adrift of the Merseyside giants in second place in the top flight after their astonishing 32-match unbeaten run in England's top flight came to an end.

City's collapse on the south coast came just days after their EFL Cup dreams were dashed at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur, but the 2022-23 Champions League winners have made an almost flawless start to the season on the continental stage, beating Slovan Bratislava four times and Sparta Prague five times after drawing 0-0 with Inter Milan on the opening day.

Excluding penalties, the Citizens have gone a record 26 games without losing a game in the Champions League, but Amorim's Sporting could hardly have picked a better time to face the Premier League champions before their coveted manager begins his own adventure in Manchester.

Having answered the call at Old Trafford following the delayed but inevitable departure of Erik ten Hag, Amorim will be officially sworn in as Man United's new head coach after the November international break, and victory on Tuesday would be the perfect way to endear himself to the Red Devils' faithful.

Despite claims from Portugal that some of Sporting's high-profile stars are upset with the 39-year-old's decision, the Primeira Liga giants have gone about their business regardless and welcome City to the Estadio Jose Alvalade on a sensational run of form.

Indeed, Sporting's 5-1 thrashing of Estrela Amadora on Friday made it 10 wins from 10 to start the 2024-25 Primeira Liga campaign - not to mention an unassailable lead at the top of the table - and their Champions League record is not bad either.

Amorim's side share City's record of seven points from their opening three games, having beaten Lille and Sturm Graz before drawing 1-1 with PSV Eindhoven, and sit eighth in the 36-team standings, five places behind Guardiola's men on goal difference.

Sporting are now bidding to equal their longest ever unbeaten run in the Champions League/European Cup - four in all competitions in the early 1980s - and will face Man City in the last 16 of the 2021-22 competition, where Amorim's side were humiliated 5-0 at home before salvaging some pride with a goalless draw in the second leg at the Etihad.

Recent Performance

Sporting Lisbon Champions League form:WDW

Sporting Lisbon form (all competitions):WWWWWW

Manchester City Champions League form:DWW

Manchester City form (all competitions):WWWWLL

Team News

Guardiola's fears that he would be down to 13 players for the Bournemouth game were not entirely realised as Savinho, Jeremy Doku, Kyle Walker and Kevin De Bruyne were all included in the matchday squad after leaving the hospital.

However, the City boss confirmed that defensive duo Ruben Dias and John Stones are out for "a little while" with unspecified concerns, joining Rodri (ACL), Oscar Bobb (leg) and Jack Grealish (unspecified) in the visitors' medical room.

Neither De Bruyne nor Savinho - who was stretchered off with an ankle injury in the defeat at Tottenham - made it off the bench at the Vitality, however, and Walker is certainly in contention to make way for Rico Lewis after being run ragged at the weekend.

As for Sporting, Amorim should only be missing two of his troops in the form of 22-year-old defender Eduardo Quaresma (muscle) and long-term absentee Nuno Santos, who is expected to miss the rest of the year with a knee injury.

Swedish sensation Viktor Gyokeres, who scored four of his side's five goals in the Estrela embarrassment, has reportedly been identified by the Man City hierarchy as an ideal acquisition should Erling Haaland ever decide to move on.

The 26-year-old has scored a staggering 20 goals in 17 appearances this term and has found the back of the net in all four of his home appearances for Sporting in European competition.

Possible starting lineups

Sporting Lisbon possible starting lineup:

Israel; Inacio, Diomande, Debast; Quenda, Braganca, Hjulmand, Araujo; Trincao, Gyokeres, Goncalves

Manchester City possible starting lineup:

Ederson; Lewis, Akanji, Ake, Gvardiol; Silva, Kovacic, Gundogan; Doku, Haaland, Nunes