The knockout stage of the UEFA Champions League gets intense as Sporting CP is set to welcome Borussia Dortmund to Estádio José Alvalade on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, with kickoff at 21:00 local time.
This playoff encounter promises to be a thrilling match between two European powerhouses. Each team has the goal of advancing in the most prestigious club continental competition.
The match will see Sporting CP enter this game under the management of their head coach Rui Borges, who joined the club in December 2024 after Ruben Amorim joined Manchester United. The appointment of Borges has managed to keep Sporting at the helm of Primeira Liga, thus fending off traditional powerhouses like Benfica and Porto. In the domestic scenario, they are just unstoppable as their attack has been very effective and so is their backline.
This is no secret, however, that the Swedish striker Viktor Gyökeres has been the figure right in the middle of this successful Sporting campaign. This season, Gyökeres has been in scintillating form, having scored 22 goals in 20 league appearances so far, with six in seven Champions League matches. Clinical finishing and intelligent movement make him a constant threat to opposing defenses.
That is in contrast to the unstable season of Borussia Dortmund. The appointment of Niko Kovac as head coach following the sacking of Nuri Sahin has not brought the expected backlash. Dortmund currently sits in 11th position in the Bundesliga, with only one win in their last six league matches. Most recently, they lost 2-1 at home against VfB Stuttgart.
The captain of Dortmund, Emre Can, remains optimistic, emphasizing the Champions League as a platform to get their season back on track. He said:
"We have to stay positive. The Champions League is a new competition, and we want to use it to get back on track."
Head-to-Head Statistics (H2H Stats)
Historically, Borussia Dortmund has been on top of this fixture. The two teams have met a total of four times up to date, with Dortmund managing to pull off three wins and Sporting CP successfully recording one victory.
These fixtures averaged 2.25 goals per game, a tendency to be closely competitive.
The last time they played was during the 2021/22 Champions League group stage:
- Dortmund 1-0 Sporting CP (Germany)
- Sporting CP 3-1 Dortmund (Portugal)
These results underline the competitiveness of their games and indicate the upcoming match might also be pretty unpredictable.
Team News and Predicted Lineups
Sporting CP Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Antonio Adán
Defenders: Iván Fresneda, Ousmane Diomande, Gonçalo Inácio, Matheus Araújo
Midfielders: Oliver Hjulmand, Hidemasa Morita
Attackers: Francisco Trincão, Daniel Bragança, Geny Catamo
Striker: Viktor Gyökeres
Borussia Dortmund Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Gregor Kobel
Defenders: Julian Ryerson, Emre Can, Nico Schlotterbeck, Daniel Svensson
Midfielders: Marcel Sabitzer, Anton Stach
Attackers: Julian Brandt, Tom Rothe, Jamie Bynoe-Gittens
Striker: Serhou Guirassy
With Ramy Bensebaini ruled out through a muscle injury, Dortmund face a selection headache at left-back. Youngster Daniel Svensson, who debuted in the Bundesliga against Stuttgart, is likely to fill in for him.
Key Battles to Watch
1. Viktor Gyökeres vs. Emre Can
But most importantly, the prolific goal-scoring form of Gyökeres will seriously put Dortmund's back four to the sword. Emre Can, normally a centre-back, would be expected to organize his defensive partners to deal with the threat of the Swedish striker.
2. Midfield Control: Hjulmand & Morita vs. Sabitzer & Stach
Where Hjulmand and Morita get the better of Sabitzer and Stach, it would really make things tell in this encounter. That tandem could command the rhythm of the match to open up scoring opportunities for its strikers.
3. Flank Play: Trincão vs. Svensson
With Daniel Svensson possibly making his Champions League debut at left-back for Dortmund, Sporting might look to expose that area with the pace and trickery of Francisco Trincão. Everything will fall into place on how Svensson performs tonight.
Match Prediction & Betting Tips
This puts the Portuguese team as slight favorites with the hosts' stunning form at home and recent poor results for the visitors. However, experience such as Dortmund possess in these European competitions and the potential upswing with new management just cannot be left out of the mix completely.
Score Prediction:
- Sporting CP 2-1 Borussia Dortmund
Betting Tips:
- Both Teams to Score – YES
- Over 2.5 Goals
- **Viktor Gyökeres to Score Anytime
- Live Score and Updates
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This promises to be an electric night of football, as both teams engage in this vital win in the Champions League. Do not be left out this evening when the whistle blows for Sporting CP versus Borussia Dortmund, starting at 21:00.