In Rúben Amorim’s final match at Alvalade, Sporting aims to triumph against the mighty Manchester City this Tuesday, thereby securing a favorable position for a place in the Champions League playoffs.
Amorim vs Guardiola or merely Sporting vs Manchester City. The two iconic teams face off this Tuesday in a fixture counting towards the fourth round of the Champions League. On paper, the English side is the clear favorite, but the Portuguese champions have a say in the matter.
Sporting has already notched up 10 victories in their league campaign, maintaining a remarkable 15-match unbeaten streak across all competitions. However, standing in their way is the English powerhouse, one of the most formidable teams in the modern game, known for their stellar record in the Champions League, which includes goals, chances created, and territorial dominance. Pep Guardiola’s side has proven to be a dominant force in this Champions League edition, holding the highest possession rate (70%) and pass accuracy (93%).
Despite being hampered by a wave of injuries, City remains a consistently dangerous team. Rúben Amorim will seek to end his Alvalade tenure on a high note against one of the giants of world football.
Currently, both teams stand equal on points in the Champions League, with seven points each after two wins and one draw. The Lions have managed two victories – against Lille (2-0) and Sturm Graz (0-2) – along with a draw against PSV (1-1).
The Cityzens secured two emphatic wins against Sparta Prague (5-0) and Slovan Bratislava (0-0), and drew 2-2 with Inter Milan.
Guardiola’s team sits third in their group stage, having scored nine goals without conceding. Sporting, on the other hand, is in eighth place with five goals scored and one conceded.
In all competitions, the Greens and Whites have not lost any of their last 15 matches, following a solitary defeat in pre-season against FC Porto in the Supercup (3-4). In their last outing, the Greens and Whites delivered a resounding victory over Estrela da Amadora (5-1), with Viktor Gyokeres netting his first career ‘póquer’.
City, however, faced a challenging weekend. Their first league defeat came at the hands of Bournemouth (2-1), resulting in the loss of their Premier League lead to Liverpool. Just days earlier, Guardiola’s side was knocked out of the EFL Cup by Tottenham in a 2-1 defeat, with Spurs beating Manchester City without Haaland at the Emirates.
The Manchester team must contend with several absences, including the Portuguese international Rúben Dias. However, key players like Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, and the deadly Erling Haaland are available.
Joining Dias, the City will miss John Stones, Rodri, Jack Grealish, and Oscar Bobb. Kyle Walker and Kevin De Bruyne have recovered and may feature in the clash at Alvalade. For Sporting, Gonçalo Inácio is unavailable due to injury, while Eduardo Quaresma is doubtful for the match.
Historically, the Lions aim to replicate a historic night that featured Xandão’s famous ‘backheel’.
We must rewind to the 2011/12 season to recall the first encounter between the Cityzens and Sporting, in the Europa League Round of 16. With City in their affirmation stage during the pre-Guardiola era, the Greens and Whites managed a 1-0 victory in the first leg, thanks to a backheel from Xandão. The goal resulted from a rebound off Joe Hart, leading to the Cityzens’ goal. They were not the Super City yet, but it was still a significant achievement for the Greens and Whites.
In the competition, Manchester had convincingly defeated FC Porto, with a 6-1 aggregate score after inflicting a 4-0 scoreline on the Portuguese team, making the outcome of the Cityzens’ loss all the more surprising as they had players like Yaya Touré, Sergio Aguero, and Mario Balotelli.
With Mancini as manager, City were made to suffer to progress in the tie. In the second leg, the Lions took the lead through goals from Matías Fernández and Wolfswinkel. In the second half, Sergio Aguero scored twice, while Mario Balotelli also found the net. In the dying moments, goalkeeper Joe Hart had the chance to score, but his effort was wayward.
The two teams faced each other again in the 21/22 season in the Champions League, with Rúben Amorim at the helm. The Greens and Whites suffered a heavy defeat (5-0) at Alvalade in the first leg, before drawing 0-0 in England, with Pep Guardiola’s team progressing onward.
Refereeing duties for the match between Sporting and Manchester City, scheduled for this Tuesday at Alvalade, will be handled by German referee Daniel Siebert.
Siebert will be assisted by compatriots Jan Seidel and Rafael Foltyn, while Daniel Schlager will serve as the fourth official.
In terms of VAR, the officials will be Bastian Dankert and Benjamin Brand.
What the two coaches are saying:
Rúben Amorim, Sporting’s head coach: “Our focus is on winning the game for Sporting. After that, any conclusions drawn from this match matter little to me, as they could be misleading. If the result is negative, expectations will drop; if we win, people may think a new Alex Ferguson has emerged (laughs)… What matters to me is winning, having a good farewell at Alvalade, then winning in Braga and starting a new adventure in Manchester. I want to leave the fans and my players happy for what lies ahead this season.”
Pep Guardiola, City’s head coach: “Sporting has a very clear pattern and a team that controls the ball exceptionally well. They have a good passing game and a strong connection between players at the back and those up front. We know the players; it’s the same manager, the same mentality, and they have done a great job.”
After three rounds, Sporting is in eighth place in the standings with the same seven points as the Cityzens, who are third.
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