After a tough 1-2 loss to VfB Stuttgart in the Bundesliga, Borussia Dortmund’s new manager Niko Kovač is under pressure as his side faces a crucial Champions League showdown against Sporting CP in Lisbon on Tuesday. This match marks the first leg of a two-part series that will determine which team progresses to the Last 16.
Borussia Dortmund, having just missed out on securing an automatic spot in the Last 16 of the Champions League, will be looking to bounce back in Europe. They finished four places and 13 points ahead of Sporting in the group stages and will feel confident against a Sporting side struggling since Ruben Amorim’s departure to Manchester United.
Sporting have not won a Champions League match since Amorim’s exit, but domestically, new manager Rui Borges has steadied the ship, keeping the team in first place in Liga Portugal. Meanwhile, Dortmund’s domestic form has been poor, sitting in 11th place in the Bundesliga and seven points adrift of fourth. Despite this, Dortmund’s form in the Champions League has been much more reliable.
One stat in favor of Sporting is their impressive home form, where they are unbeaten in their last seven matches across all competitions.
Borussia Dortmund
Dortmund will welcome back deadline-day signing Carney Chukwuemeka, who has recovered from a knock. However, full-back Ramy Benebaini will miss out due to a muscle strain, opening the door for new signing Daniel Svensson to potentially make his Champions League debut. Felix Nmecha is still sidelined with a knee injury.
Sporting CP
Sporting will be without Morten Hjulmand due to suspension after accumulating three yellow cards. Pedro Goncalves, Joao Simoes, and Nuno Santos are also missing through injury. However, Matheus Reis and Ousmane Diomande, who were sent off in the last match against FC Porto, are available for the Champions League tie. Swedish striker Viktor Gyokeres, who started on the bench in the derby, is likely to start on Tuesday.
With both teams facing challenges, the match promises to be a tight contest. While Dortmund have been more consistent in the Champions League, Sporting’s home form and domestic leadership give them a strong chance. It wouldn’t be surprising if the game ends in a draw, leaving everything to play for in the second leg in Dortmund.
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