PSV Eindhoven vs Sporting Lisbon predictions: Expect entertainment in Eindhoven
- Both clubs have scored 25 goals in winning seven league games this season
- Both 2019/20 Europa League group stage meetings produced at least four goals
- Back: Over 3.5 goals
PSV Eindhoven were no match for Juventus on Matchday One in the new-look Champions League, with just a late consolation goal to show from Ismael Saibari in their 3-1 loss.
Sporting Lisbon, meanwhile, were aided by a first-half dismissal for the visitors in their 2-0 victory over Lille.
The Portuguese side have notched a pair of 3-0 domestic wins since, while PSV have also won both Eredivisie games since losing in Turin.
The pair now go head-to-head in Eindhoven in what should be an entertaining showdown.
Team news
Peter Bosz took the chance to rest Luuk de Jong and Johan Bakayoko for the weekend win over Willem II, but they should be restored to the starting XI here.
Veteran Ivan Perisic signed a one-year deal with the Dutch side recently as a free agent and debuted in that win in Tilburg, but he may have to settle for a place on the bench this time.
Sergino Dest, Hirving Lozano and Fredrik Oppegard are all major doubts, though Noa Lang, right-back duo Rick Karsdorp and Mauro Junior are returning to full fitness and are in contention.
Sporting boss Ruben Amorim will be without central Dutch defender Jerry St Juste for the trip to his homeland, while Diogo Pinto's participation is also in the balance.
Influential duo Pedro Goncalves and Marcus Edwards have been missing in recent weeks and are likely to be assessed late.
The stats
PSV have drawn three of their last six games at home against Portuguese opponents, losing just once.
Sporting won 10 of their first 11 games against Dutch clubs but have only managed two from nine since.
These clubs last met in the 2019/20 Europa League group stage, with PSV winning 3-2 at home and Sporting taking the spoils 4-0 in Lisbon.
Sporting have lost 10 of their last 15 away matches in the Champions League.
Sporting are on an eight-game winning streak in all competitions.
Both teams have played seven and won seven in their domestic leagues, each scoring 25 goals.
Prediction
UEFA's new-look league phase is aimed towards providing much more in the way of Champions League entertainment after the group stage had become stale and Matchday One lived up to the billing.
PSV were no match for Juventus in Turin, while Sporting did what was needed as they saw off 10-man Lille in Lisbon.
Winning homes games is what it will be all about for mid-tier teams like these, so the Portuguese outfit may travel to Eindhoven with a free-going approach to some degree.
Certainly, if they find themselves behind, there will be little to gained by accepting a slender reverse, so an end-to-end contest is likely with two sides that appear closely matched on paper.
Both teams have seven domestic league wins and 25 goals scored so far. Picking a winner is daunting, so backing them to produce plenty goals is the preferred approach as their previous two meetings had a combined nine goals.
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