Marking their first-ever Champions League meeting, Sporting Lisbon and Lille will convene at Estadio Jose Alvalade on Tuesday, kicking off the competition's new-look league phase.
While Portuguese champions Sporting are firing on all cylinders under Ruben Amorim, their visitors from France are still seeking consistency after a change of management.
Match preview
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A growing force on the continental scene, resurgent Sporting have progressed to the knockout stages of UEFA competition for three successive seasons - once in the Champions League and twice in the Europa League.
In the second-tier tournament, the Lisbon club finished second in their group behind eventual champions Atalanta BC, before beating Young Boys 4-2 on aggregate in the knockout-round playoffs to set up a rematch with La Dea in the last 16.
Atalanta came out on top over two legs, but Sporting still went on to complete an impressive campaign in the Primeira Liga, claiming their 20th league title by finishing on 90 points - 10 clear of arch-rivals Benfica.
Though they started the 2024-25 season by losing to Porto in the Portuguese Supertaca, the Lions have a flawless league record so far, with Ruben Amorim resisting plenty of interest from abroad to stay at Estadio Alvalade and oversee five wins from five.
Already five points clear, they have scored 19 goals and conceded just two in the process, with top striker Viktor Gyokeres in fine form - the Swedish star scored his 50th goal in 55 Sporting appearances during a 2-0 home win over Porto.
Returning to the Champions League after one year away, the Lions may be dominant domestically, but they have lost seven of their last 12 European matches in Lisbon. That record will surely have to improve if they are to survive the 36-team league phase.
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Lille last featured in the Champions League proper three years ago, when they reached the knockout stages for just the second time to date, topping their group before losing to Chelsea in the last 16.
Indeed, Les Dogues have never been beyond that point in UEFA's top club competition, but they did reach the Europa Conference League quarter-finals last season, only exiting on penalties to Aston Villa.
They had previously gone unbeaten, winning five games and drawing three, but dreams of glory once again faded for the Ligue 1 side.
Lille have won just two of their last nine away games in Europe, but an extra-time penalty from Jonathan David was enough to send them through in Istanbul last month, as they edged past Fenerbahce in the Champions League's third qualifying round.
Soon after, the French club came through a tough playoff tie against Slavia Prague, winning 3-2 on aggregate to book their place at Europe's top table.
Having replaced Milan-bound coach Paulo Fonseca with Bruno Genesio during the summer, after finishing fourth in Ligue 1 last term, Lille won their first two league fixtures before losing the next two, most recently suffering a 1-0 defeat at Saint-Etienne on Friday.
Ahead of hosting mighty Real Madrid on the second matchday, Genesio's men will be keen to put a halt to that downturn by upsetting Sporting.
Team News
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A potent attack featuring Pedro Goncalves, Francisco Trincao and Viktor Gyokeres should start for the hosts on Tuesday, with the latter having already scored eight times for Sporting this season, including a hat-trick away to Farense.
In all, Gyokeres has racked up 11 goals and five assists for club and country and has also netted in all three previous home games he has started in Europe.
However, Ruben Amorim may be without his first-choice goalkeeper, as Vladan Kovacevic recently sustained an ankle injury in training and Franco Israel had to deputise between the posts on Friday. Centre-back Jeremiah St. Juste is certainly unavailable.
Lille welcomed Mitchel Bakker into their squad at the weekend, but Ethan Mbappe missed out due to a minor injury; Ngal'ayel Mukau, Hakon Haraldsson and Ismaily - Amorim's former teammate at Braga - are still sidelined.
Rafael Fernandes and Tiago Santos both came through the youth ranks at Sporting, and the latter may feature on the right flank upon his return to Lisbon.
Midfielder Angel Gomes recently made his England debut, and after being rested on Friday, he should join Kosovan winger Edon Zhegrova in the supporting cast for star striker Jonathan David, who has been LOSC's leading scorer over the past three Ligue 1 seasons.
Sporting Lisbon possible starting lineup:
Franco; Debast, Diomande, Inacio; Quenda, Morita, Hjulmand, Catamo; Trincao, Goncalves; Gyokeres
Lille possible starting lineup:
Chevalier; Meunier, Mandi, Diakite; Santos, Andre, Gomes, Gudmundsson; Zhegrova, Cabella; David
We say: Sporting Lisbon 2-1 Lille
Sporting beat Lille twice in the Europa League group stage 14 years ago, and the clubs' first Champions League clash should go the same way.
Not only have the hosts suffered just one defeat in 28 league matches, they have won each of the last 19 on home soil: backed by a passionate fanbase, they are set to start the league phase with three precious points.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
