Sporting Lisbon and Atalanta BC battle again in the Europa League when the Portuguese side host the Serie A club in Wednesday's last-16 first-leg clash at Estadio Jose Alvalade.
Both teams faced off in the group stage, with Gian Piero Gasperini's side picking four points from an available six, but La Dea are far less healthy heading into the double-header.
Match preview
Ruben Amorim may have joked in the lead-up to Wednesday's game that the scouting report for Atalanta should be straightforward, but the Sporting head coach should not expect an easy tie against the club from Bergamo.
The Lisbon outfit failed to win both Group D encounters, drawing 1-1 in Italy but strikingly losing against Gasperini's men at the Jose Alvalade in October.
However, both results should not dampen the mood before the first leg, as the Portuguese outfit head into the knockout stage in better form than their opponents and have thrived in recent Europa League knockout ties, progressing from the last three.
Further increasing the hosts' confidence is their impressive home outcomes in their round of 16 games, never losing in their previous four — two wins and as many draws — and they seek to make it five after Wednesday's game in Lisbon.
While it remains to be seen if Sporting secure their third win over Atalanta in European competition, Amorim's side winning seven of their nine matches in all competitions should feed their confidence before the encounter.
Had this match been held a couple of weeks back, then Gasperini's troops would have had nothing to worry about, but two defeats on the trot inspire little confidence.
Atalanta were hammered 4-0 by Serie A champions-elect Inter Milan last week and followed that up with a 2-1 home loss to Bologna at the Gewiss Stadium, La Dea's first loss in Bergamo since November 2023.
Their experienced boss rued the four minutes that cost them two goals against Bologna, conceding a penalty goal to Joshua Zirkzee and another moments later to Lewis Ferguson, thus cancelling Ademola Lookman's 28th-minute strike.
La Dea seek a response to their three-game winless domestic run, keen to secure the club's fourth European victory over the Portuguese side and extend their unbeaten run against the same opponents to three.
Whether this proves successful cannot be determined, but losing only two of their previous 20 Europa League matches bodes well for Wednesday.
Team News
Goncalo Inacio (muscle) and Antonio Adan (thigh) are not expected to play from the off on Wednesday.
Having had only Ricky van Wolfswinkel score more than five in continental competition, Viktor Gyokeres (five) needs one more goal to match the striker's six from the 2011-12 season.
Lookman was back among the goals for Atalanta against Bologna, with the Nigerian eased back in after AFCON 2023 duty, and Gasperini hopes the forward keeps firing after opening his account for 2024 on Sunday.
La Dea have no reported injury worries heading into the game, leaving Gasperini with a healthy squad.
Sporting Lisbon possible starting lineup:
Israel; Diomande, Coates, Reis; Esgaio, Hjulmand, Braganca, Santos; Trincao, Gyokeres, Edwards
Atalanta BC possible starting lineup:
Musso; Scalvini, Djimsiti, Kolasinac; Hateboer, Pasalic, Ederson, Bakker; Koopmeiners; De Ketelaere, Lookman
We say: Sporting Lisbon 2-1 Atalanta BC
While Atalanta seldom lose in this competition, Sporting are in superior form, and that momentum should see them record a marginal victory in Lisbon on Wednesday.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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