Preview of Arsenal and Sporting Lisbon in the Europa League round 16

1 year ago

Prediction for the match between Arsenal and Sporting Lisbon in the second leg of the round of 16 of the Europa League, taking place on March 17.

preview-of-arsenal-and-sporting-lisbon-in-the-europa-league-round-16

The match between Arsenal and Sporting Lisbon remains undecided after the first leg ended in a 2-2 draw. Both teams have an equal chance of winning, with even a single goal being enough to make a difference. In this situation, playing at home is an important advantage for Arsenal, and they must learn from their mistakes in the first leg to complete their task.

The recent performance of the team at the Emirates Stadium under the guidance of manager Mikel Arteta has brought great confidence to the fans of the English club. After losing 1-3 to Manchester City in a game where they played better than their opponents, Arsenal bounced back with a 4-0 win over Everton and a 3-2 victory over Bournemouth, in which they staged an emotional comeback to demonstrate the spirit of a champion.

In the second leg against Sporting, manager Mikel Arteta received further good news as Gabriel Jesus returned from injury. The Brazilian striker has been sidelined since the World Cup last year but is now ready to contribute to Arsenal's cause. With their squad back to full strength, Arteta has more options to rotate his lineup.

The biggest concern for the Spanish coach at present is Sporting's away form, which is better than their home form. Since drawing 2-2 against Benfica in January 2023, manager Ruben Amorim's team has won five consecutive matches, scoring an average of 2 goals per game against various opponents.

In terms of personnel, Amorim does not have his strongest lineup, although important midfielder Manuel Ugarte has returned to the starting lineup after serving a suspension. The absence of veteran defender Sebastian Coates, who received a yellow card in the first leg, is expected to have the most impact.

To fill the void left by Coates, the 38-year-old coach is likely to use young player Ousmane Diomande. This is also considered the weakest link in Sporting's lineup that Arsenal can exploit.

Expected line-ups Arsenal vs Sporting Lisbon:

  • Arsenal: Ramsdale; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Partey, Xhaka; Saka, Martinelli, Nelson.
  • Sporting Lisbon: Adan; Inacio, Neto, Diomande; Esgaio, Ugarte, Morita, Santos; Edwards, Trincao, Chermiti.

Prediction: Arsenal 2-0 Sporting Lisbon.

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