Sporting Lisbon and Young Boys will do battle in the Portuguese capital on Thursday in the second leg of their Europa League knockout round playoff tie.
Having prevailed in the first leg in Switzerland, the hosts have a 3-1 lead to defend at the Estadio Jose Alvalade with a round-of-16 place on the line.
Match preview
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Sporting Lisbon head into the second leg of their Europa League playoff tie on Thursday with the aim of completing the job and booking a round-of-16 place, having gained an edge away from home last week after a second-placed finish in the group stage.
Indeed, the Portuguese giants missed out on automatic entry into the final 16 on Europe's secondary competition having been pulled to top spot by Atalanta BC, but their 11 points from six continental outings were enough to seal a playoff place, with the group campaign culminating in a 3-0 beating of Sturm Graz in December.
That finish set up a first-ever competitive tie against Young Boys for Os Leoes, and in their trip to Switzerland last Thursday, they certainly gained a strong edge in the contest, building up a 3-1 aggregate lead having initially gone ahead through an Aurele Amenda own goal, before Viktor Gyokeres netted from the spot and Goncalo Inacio added a third after the interval.
Ruben Amorim's side were able to build on that momentum on their return to league action on Monday too, picking up a 2-0 victory away at Moreirense thanks to goals from Hidemasa Morita and Pedro Goncalves, making it right straight Primeira Liga wins and 15 goals scored across their last three in the top flight without conceding, while remaining only second on goal difference with a game in hand on leaders Benfica.
Certainly full of confidence in the midst of a strong campaign on all fronts, Sporting Lisbon will now turn their focus back to the Europa League and bid to see out a comfortable aggregate win in the Portuguese capital.
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Their visitors, meanwhile, will travel to Lisbon aiming to upset the odds and turn the tie on its head following last week's home defeat, after dropping into the playoff from the Champions League group stage.
The Swiss champions progressed past Maccabi Haifa in qualifying to earn a place in Europe's premier competition, and while they were unable to beat Manchester City or RB Leipzig to a top-two finish and subsequent progression, their four points were enough to seal third place and book their spot in the Europa League playoff.
That set up a tie with Sporting Lisbon with a round-of-16 place on the line, and Raphael Wicky's side were unable to gain the edge in Switzerland, initially going 2-0 down before Filip Ugrinic pulled one back late in the first half, only for Inacio's goal to stretch the deficit back to two goals heading into the second leg.
Wicky's men do head into Thursday's trip on the back of a return to winning ways, however, having maintained a seven-point lead at the top of the Swiss Super League with a somewhat unconvincing 1-0 triumph at home to basement side Stade Lausanne-Ouchy on Sunday, as Cedric Itten netted the only goal of the game 20 minutes from time.
Now with the odds stacked against them, facing a difficult trip to the Portuguese title-chasers with a 3-1 aggregate deficit, Young Boys will set out to score a big victory on the night and turn the tie around to progress to the final 16 of the Europa League on Thursday.
Team News
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Ruben Amorim will field a similar Sporting Lisbon starting XI to their triumphant first leg last week, with defender Jeremiah St Juste and attacker Paulinho remaining confined to the treatment room.
Sebastian Coates did miss that game, however, and after returning for their victory over Moreirense on Monday, the Uruguayan defender should again join Eduardo Quaresma and Goncalo Inacio in a back three.
At the other end of the pitch, Viktor Gyokeres is bound to lead the line, having notched up 28 goals and 11 assists in 31 appearances across all competitions this term, with Pedro Goncalves and Francisco Trincao again set to join him up top, while Hidemasa Morita and Morten Hjumland will hope to continue their midfield partnership despite competition from Daniel Braganca.
Young Boys will be unable to call on defender Mohamed Camara on Thursday, as he is suspended after being shown a red card in the first leg, while Loris Benito, Kastriot Imeri and Filip Ugrinic remain sidelined by injuries.
Cedric Itten is bound to come back in and lead the line from the start on Thursday, having come off the bench to net his ninth goal of the season on Sunday.
He should be joined up top by Joel Mvuka and Meschack Elia in their search for goals to overturn the tie, while Lukasz Lakomy, Sandro Lauper, Darian Males and Cheikh Niasse will all compete to start in midfield.
Sporting Lisbon possible starting lineup:
Adan; Quaresma, Coates, Inacio; Catamo, Hjulmand, Morita, Santos; Trincao, Gyokeres, Goncalves
Young Boys possible starting lineup:
Von Ballmoos; Blum, Amenda, Lustenberger, Hadjam; Lakomy, Lauper, Males; Elia, Itten, Mvuka
We say: Sporting Lisbon 3-1 Young Boys (Sporting Lisbon win 6-2 on aggregate)
Sporting Lisbon showed their superior quality in last week's away leg, and while the visitors will push hard to get back into the tie, we can only envisage Os Leoes prevailing again and sealing a dominant aggregate win.
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Sam Varley
