Sporting CP-Midtjylland is the first leg of the Europa League round of 16 play-offs and is played on Thursday at 21:00: predictions.
It may not be the same team that became champions of Portugal two seasons ago after nearly two decades of waiting, but Ruben Amorim’s Sporting CP look like they have what it takes to go a long way in the continent’s second competition and play the role of possible loose cannon in the 2022-23 Europa League.
Last autumn, the Lisbon green-and-whites missed out on their second Champions League round of 16 qualification in a row due to a few details, finishing just behind Tottenham and Eintracht Frankfurt in a very balanced group in which the verdicts were only rendered on the final day. However, the Lusitanian coach can still be satisfied with having limited the damage, guaranteeing himself relegation to the Europa League at the expense of Igor Tudor’s more highly-rated Marseille, who finished last in the table and were left out of everything. In the Primeira Liga, however, Sporting CP are disappointing: far from first place, they have never really been in the running for the title, demonstrating that the gap with rivals Benfica and Porto has yet to be closed.
Many ups and downs for the Portuguese
A lot of highs and lows for Amorim’s men, who finished minus 15 after last Saturday’s defeat in their clash with Porto, the first after four straight good results.
It will be complicated to retake Braga, momentarily third with eight more points: the risk of leaving the Champions League zone prematurely remains high. A particular situation that forces the team from the Portuguese capital to concentrate more on the Europa League. In the play-off they will have to face Midtjylland, who came second by the skin of their teeth in Lazio’s group thanks to their advantage in goal difference, at the expense of Maurizio Sarri’s side, who slipped into the Conference. In Denmark, the league is at a standstill for the winter break and Albert Capellas’ side played just two Atlantic Cup matches in February.
The Prediction
Sporting boast more quality and experience than the Danes and should not make a mistake in the first leg, avoiding complicating matters ahead of the return leg, scheduled for a week’s time in Denmark. Lusitanians favourites in a match of at least three goals in total, being two teams that do not favour defence over attack.
Bayer Leverkusen-Munich likely line-ups
- SPORTING CP (3-4-3): Adan; Inacio, Coates, Reis; Bellerin, Goncalves, Ugarte, Santos; Edwards, Trincao, Chermiti.
- MIDTJYLLAND (4-3-3): Lossl; Andersson, Gartenmann, Juninho, Paulinho; Olsson, Martinez, Sorensen; Isaksen, Beetson, Chilufya.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 3-1