1 PSV vs 1 Sporting CP
PSV back on European soil in UCL clash against Sporting.
As PSV Eindhoven looks to bounce back from an opening day defeat in the UEFA Champions League, they face a formidable Sporting CP side aiming to extend their flawless start in all competitions when they clash at the Philips Stadion this Tuesday.
PSV
Ricardo Pepi’s second-half brace against Willem II ensured PSV remained at the summit of the Dutch Eredivisie standings with a flawless record, having won seven times in as many games. On Tuesday, PSV will be eager to recover from their opening day 3-1 defeat at the hands of Juventus when they take on Sporting in the revamped UCL league phase.
PSV are currently without a point on the board, as one of the 15 other sides without one, along with the likes of Barcelona and AC Milan. This fixture will be the third encounter between PSV Eindhoven and Sporting CP in a major European competition, each side securing one win in their group stage meetings during the 2019/20 UEFA Europa League.
Despite the opening day defeat, Peter Bosz’s men can draw optimism from their recent home form in the Champions League, as they remain unbeaten in their last four games at the Philips Stadion. American striker Ricardo Pepi, who bagged a brace against Willem II at the weekend, is expected to start in a 4-3-3 formation, alongside Malik Tillman and Johan Bakayoko.
Meanwhile, Hirving Lozano and Sergiño Dest are doubts for this clash.
Sporting CP
Sporting CP [WWWWW], who also have an unblemished record in all competitions, continued their dominant run with a 3-0 win against Estoril on Friday. After a convincing 2-0 victory over French side Lille in their opening Champions League fixture, Ruben Amorim's side go into this match with a poor record against Dutch opposition in the Champions League.
The visitors lost both of their previous encounters with Dutch side Ajax during the 2021/22 group stage [1-5 & 2-4]. Historically, Sporting have not been particularly successful on the road in the Champions League, losing eight of their nine away matches between October 2014 and September 2021 [1W, 0D, 8L]. However, they have since improved, losing just two of their last six away games in the competition [2W, 2D, 2L].
This run includes draws at Tottenham Hotspur [1-1] and Manchester City [0-0], along with emphatic victories against Besiktas [4-1] and Eintracht Frankfurt [3-0]. With 11 goals in nine appearances this season, Swedish striker Viktor Gyökeres is expected to lead the line for Sporting in a 4-3-3 formation, flanked by Trincão and Maximiliano Araújo. St. Juste and Diogo Pinto are unlikely to be fit for this fixture.
Team form
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Team Comparison
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