UEL 2022-23: Arsenal vs Sporting CP: Predicted lineup, injury news, head-to-head, telecast

The Gunners host The Leões at Emirates for the Round of 16 second leg after an exciting first leg encounter at Lisbon.

Arsenal and Sporting are two football clubs with a rich history of success and passionate supporters. While they may not have faced each other frequently in the past, their encounter in the 2018-19 Europa League was a memorable one for both clubs. Now that they have faced each other in 2022-23 season with a thrilling 2-2 draw over the first leg, it's now time for the second leg at the Emirates.

Arsenal are one of the most successful clubs in English football history, having won 13 league titles, 14 FA Cups, and 2 League Cups. They also have a strong European record. Sporting, on the other hand, is one of Portugal's "Big Three" clubs, along with Benfica and Porto. They have won 19 league titles, 16 Portuguese Cups, and 8 Portuguese Super Cups. The club has also had success in European competitions. While Arsenal and Sporting may be from different countries and have different styles of play, they share a commitment to attacking football and a passionate fan base. Arsenal are known for their quick passing and fluid attacking movements while Sporting are known for their technical ability and attacking flair.

Kick-Off:

Thursday, 16-03-2023; 8:00 PM(GMT)

Friday, 17-03-2023;1:30 AM (IST)

Arsenal Form (All Competitions): W-D-W-W-W

Sporting Form (All Competitions): W-D-W-W-W

Players to Watch

Arsenal: Bukayo Saka

The winger has been an outstanding player for the Gunners this season, having already tallied 11 goals and contributed 9 assists. He is a difficult player for defenders to contain due to his extraordinary speed and dribbling abilities, and it is anticipated that he will create issues for the Sporting defenders. Moreover, he has three goals in his last five games, and his performance will be essential to Arsenal's success. He was a key player in Arsenal's win over Fulham in their recent EPL tie.

Sporting CP: Pedro Goncalves

Pedro Goncalves is without a question Sporting CP's most impressive player. Goncalves is by far the most important performer for Sporting, contributing to 18 goals. He helped Sporting CP a lot in their last encounter with Arsenal and posed a major threat to the Gunners. He'll be looking forward to adding more goals to his tally. He is a versatile player who can play in multiple positions, including as an attacking midfielder, winger, or striker. He is a creative player who likes to take on defenders and has great dribbling skills. He'll be a player to watch out for.

Match Facts

• Sporting have gone winless in their last nine road meetings against English teams.
• In their previous three home UEFA Europa League final stage contests, Arsenal are winless.
• Sporting have lost 21 of their previous 22 two-leg playoff matches after failing to win the home first game in a major European tournament.
• In nine home meetings against Portuguese teams across all European competitions, Arsenal have only lost once.

Team & Injury News

Gabriel Jesus is nearing a comeback but won't be fit for this game, while Mohamed Elneny underwent knee surgery and will be out for a while. Trossard is fit to play again in this second-leg Ro16 tie. On the other hand, Sporting’s Daniel Braganca is suffering from a Cruciate Ligament injury, which is a long-term concern for the team. Both teams have very less concerns related to injury and it will be a good game to watch on a Thursday night.

Head-to-Head Stats

Matches: 5

Sporting CP: 0

Arsenal: 2

Draws: 3

Predicted Lineups

Arsenal predicted lineup (4-3-3)

Aaron Ramsdale; Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Oleksandar Zinchenko; Martin Ødegaard, Thomas Partey, Granit Xhaka; Bukayo Saka, Eddie Nketiah, Gabriel Martinelli

Sporting CP predicted lineup (3-4-3)

Antonio Adan; Ousmane Diomande, Sebastian Coates, Goncalo Inacio; Ricardo Esgaio, Hidemasa Morita, Manuel Ugarte, Nuno Santos ; Marcus Edwards, Pedro Gonçalves, Paulinho

Match Prediction

Overall, Arsenal and Sporting are two great clubs with a storied history of success and passionate fans. While they may not play each other frequently, their encounter in the Europa League was a reminder of the quality and excitement that both teams can bring to the pitch. It is anticipated that Arsenal will control the ball, achieve a close victory in this match, and ultimately win on aggregate based on their recent home league results and the caliber of their players.

Prediction:  Arsenal 2 - 1 Sporting CP 

Telecast

India – Sony Sports Network, JIO TV, and Sony LIV

UK – BT Sport

US – Paramount+

Nigeria –  SuperSport 3