After a two-month wait, Europe’s best teams will reconvene for the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League. Tuesday is a great day to bet on soccer with PSG and Real Madrid in action, along with UCL favorites Manchester City visiting Sporting.
Sporting is in the knockout stage for the first time in 13 years and is a massive underdog to advance in the two-leg tie vs the Citizens. Despite being huge favorites, Manchester City can’t afford a slip up on the road in the first leg.
- Game: Sporting CP vs Manchester City F.C.
- Location: Estádio José Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal
- Date/Time: Tuesday, 3 p.m. ET
| Team | Handicap | Moneyline | Total | Team Total |
| Sporting Lisbon | +1½ Ev | +1000 | 3 Evo | ½ -115o
½ -115u |
| Manchester City | -1½ -120 | -330 | 3 -120u | 2½ +120o
2½ -150u |
| +455 |
Sporting vs Manchester City Betting Preview
Head to Head
These clubs have only met twice, in the round of 16 of the 2012 Europa League. Sporting won the first leg at home1-0 and Manchester City were victorious at the Etihad, 3-2. However, Sporting went through on the away goals rule, which has since been scrapped.
Goncalves Doubtful for Sporting
Sporting Lisbon had a wild match at Porto over the weekend that finished 2-2. Sporting took a 2-0 lead in the first half as Paulinho and Nuno Santos found the back of the net, but conceded soon after.
Defender Sebastian Coates was sent off in the 49th minute for stopping a breakaway and a 10-man Sporting conceded in the 78th minute. A post-match brawl saw two players from both sides sent off. Luckily for Sporting, all players are available for selection vs Manchester City.
One of the surprises of the Champions League Group Stage, Sporting reached the knockout rounds by finishing second in Group C behind Ajax. That wasn’t an easy feat as they were also in a group with Borussia Dortmund. Sporting went 3-3 and advanced over Dortmund on goal difference.
The Lisbon club has already won a trophy this season by defeating Benfica in the Taca da Liga final at the end of January. Sporting has been one of the best soccer picks in the Portuguese league and is in second place behind Porto.
Sporting’s leading scorer in the group stage, Pedro Goncalves, missed last weekend’s clash with Porto and is doubtful for the first leg vs Manchester City with a muscle injury. Nuno Santos could receive another start if Goncalves can’t suit up.
Walker Suspended for Man City
Manchester City cruised to a 4-0 win over Norwich City on Saturday as Raheem Sterling scored a hat trick. The Citizens have a nine-point lead at the top of the Premier League table and have been excellent lately.
Pep Guardiola had the luxury of resting Kevin de Bruyne, Rodri and Aymeric Laporte for the match vs Norwich. City will have fresh legs for their match at Sporting but won’t have Kyler Walker.
Walker was suspended for the next three Champions League matches after he kicked RB Leipzig’s Andre Silva in their Group Stage meeting in December. The 2-1 loss is City’s last in all competitions and they’re currently in the process of appealing the suspension. Oleksandr Zinchenko should start at left back and Joao Cancelo should move to the right in Walker’s absence.
Regardless, it’s no surprise that Manchester City has been one of the best teams in Europe to bet online this season. The Citizens have conceded just four goals in their last eight matches in all competitions and look well on their way to a third Premier League title in four seasons.
It’s the elusive Champions League title that would mean the most to them, though. City finished first in Group A, which also included PSG, and has already won a handful of big matches this season.
Prediction
Only four teams in the 32-team Champions League group stage field conceded more goals than Sporting. In two matches vs Ajax, Sporting conceded nine goals and lost by a combined 9-3 scoreline.
Manchester City areis even better than Ajax, has relatively fresh legs and should be motivated to win the UCL after falling in the final last season. I expect the Citizens to cover the 1½-goal sportsbook spread on the road and get one foot in the quarterfinals.
