Sporting CP vs Borussia Dortmund: UEFA Champions League Preview and Team News
By Tushar Bahl
Players to Watch
With Erling Haaland and Thorgan Hazard both sidelined, Borussia Dortmund will need another big performance from Marco Reus. The 32 year old is in excellent form at the moment and has scored in each of his last four appearances for club and country.
Donyell Malen opened his account in the Bundesliga on Saturday, which will have no doubt given him a lot of confidence. He also scored the winner in the reverse fixture against Sporting CP and will be aiming to deliver another strong performance on Wednesday.
João Palhinha is Sporting’s dominant defensive midfielder and played a crucial role in their two wins over Besiktas. He leads the Champions League in terms of tackles won (22) and has also made 27 recoveries in the competition so far. His battle against Borussia Dortmund’s attacking midfielders will be crucial to the game’s result.
The key player for Sporting CP going forward will be Pedro Gonçalves, who has scored nine goals in just 13 appearances this season. The 23 year old winger missed the reverse fixture due to an injury, and he is one player the Borussia Dortmund defence will have to be wary of.
Previous Meeting: Borussia Dortmund 1-0 Sporting CP
The last time these two sides met was in September, when Donyell Malen’s first half strike sealed a hard-fought 1-0 win for Borussia Dortmund. The Netherlands international got on the end of Jude Bellingham’s through ball before finding the bottom corner with a well taken finish.
dark. Next. Borussia Dortmund’s five most memorable UEFA Champions League moments
Borussia Dortmund have lost both of their games in the Champions League group stage since that win. While Sporting CP have won both of theirs. And a fascinating clash awaits us on Wednesday with both teams looking to seal their progress to the round of 16.