Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Champions League match.
Viktor Gyökeres, who has been on fire for Sporting in his second season, is set to debut in the Champions League for the Lisbon side. The Swede faces a relatively manageable challenge in Lille, a game where he can showcase his talent and draw even more attention to his performances.
Sporting Lisbon
On Friday, Sporting comfortably defeated Arouca (3:0) in the Primeira Liga, with Viktor Gyökeres scoring another goal. This brings his tally to 8 + 1 in five Portuguese league matches, and 11+5 in eight official matches this season (including international games). Such form is hard for any team to contend with. Overall, Sporting's attacking prowess is noteworthy—they have scored at least two goals in their last six matches, netting three or more on five occasions.
Lille
A trip to Portugal promises to be very tough for Lille, especially considering their 1:0 loss to Saint-Étienne on Friday—marking their third consecutive defeat. Lille have already faltered twice away from home in this season's Champions League, losing to Fenerbahce (0:1 in regulation) and Slavia Prague (1:2). Additionally, the French side will be without key players Ismaily Gonçalves, Samuel Umtiti, and Akim Zedadka, significantly weakening their defensive reliability.
Sporting Lisbon vs Lille Prediction
Sporting's aggressive style is unlikely to leave Lille without conceding goals. They can easily score at least twice, bolstered by their eager star ready to shine in the Champions League.
