Sporting Lisbon vs Arsenal – News and Probable Lineups

In Tuesday’s unofficial Viktor Gyokeres derby, Arsenal will be looking to bounce back from two consecutive losses as they head to Sporting Lisbon for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final clash.

The Gunners come into this match following two defeats, first at the hands of Manchester City in the EFL Cup final, and then a disappointing 2-1 loss against Southampton on Saturday during the FA Cup quarter-finals. On the other hand, the Portuguese side enters the fixture with three consecutive wins behind them.

Match overview

Arsenal’s quest for an unmatched quadruple had shown signs of success, although it has always been a challenging ambition. The recent results, however, have significantly dampened their chances of achieving this historic feat.

After being outplayed by Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in the EFL Cup final, Mikel Arteta’s players struggled to translate their dominance into results during Saturday’s game at St Mary’s, where Gyokeres’s equalizer was insufficient to prevent the North London team from suffering their first consecutive defeats of the season.

Nonetheless, aspirations for a league title remain intact, as the Gunners are nine points clear at the top of the Premier League, albeit having played one more match than second-placed Manchester City. Furthermore, the return to Champions League action brings additional hope.

Arsenal is currently the only team yet to experience a loss in this season’s elite European tournament, having finished the group stages with an unblemished record before defeating Bayer Leverkusen over two legs in the round of 16.

They secured a late equalizer at the BayArena, but goals from Eberechi Eze and Declan Rice sealed a 2-0 victory at the Emirates in the second leg, marking their third consecutive quarter-final appearance.

As Arsenal aims for back-to-back semi-finals and a fourth overall, Gyokeres is looking for his first win in this matchup as he returns to a familiar venue.

Having joined from Sporting in the summer of 2025, the Swedish striker, who netted 97 goals in 102 outings for the Lions, was on the other side during their last encounter, where the Gunners triumphed with a commanding 5-1 scoreline at Estadio Jose Alvalade in November 2024.

Though Sporting is yet to register a regulated-time win against Arsenal in their five previous meetings (D3, L2), they will be hopeful of overcoming the Gunners on Tuesday, boosted by their remarkable home performance, which includes winning their last 17 matches at home.

This impressive streak features a 4-2 triumph against Santa Clara last Friday, where goals from Pedro Goncalves, Daniel Braganca, Francisco Trincao, and Rafael Nel contributed to maintaining the Lions’ second-place position in the Primeira Liga.

Sporting’s remarkable Champions League campaign has been largely attributed to their strong home record, having claimed victory in all five European home fixtures this season, including wins over Kairat Almaty, Marseille, Club Brugge, and Paris Saint Germain, securing a top-eight finish in the group stages.

Following a 3-0 loss in the first leg of the round of 16 against Bodo/Glimt, Rui Borges’s squad became just the fifth team in history to overturn a three-goal deficit in the Champions League knockout phase, achieving a stunning 5-0 win in the return leg at Jose Alvalade that secured their spot in the quarter-finals.

This victory has sparked Sporting’s current form, with the Lions winning their past three matches and scoring at least four goals in each. They will hope that this attacking momentum carries forward into Tuesday’s match against what may be a weakened Arsenal defense.

Team News

Arsenal’s loss to Southampton raised new injury concerns, specifically with centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes being substituted due to an issue. Arteta’s post-match comments did little to alleviate concerns, leaving the Brazilian’s participation in Tuesday’s match in significant doubt.

This adds to the injury problems the North London club faces, as several regular players were unavailable for Saturday’s match due to the international break, during which multiple players withdrew. However, there is hope that Rice, Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard, and Jurrien Timber will be fit for selection.

On the other hand, Eberechi Eze, Piero Hincapie, and Mikel Merino are confirmed to miss the trip to Lisbon as they continue to recover from injuries.

With five goals in his last three appearances for club and country, Gyokeres heads into this match brimming with confidence as he prepares to face his former team.

The player expected to fill the gap left by Gyokeres, Luis Suarez, has found the net in Sporting’s last three Champions League home games, scoring four times during this run, and he will look to keep that streak alive.

Nonetheless, Suarez’s absence in the previous match raises concerns about his availability, and if he cannot play, Nel could once again lead the line following his goal in that match.

The hosts will also be missing Fotis Ioannidis, Geovany Quenda, and Nuno Santos, and Luis Guilherme is doubtful due to an ankle issue. Ivan Fresneda, who missed the last game due to illness, is also uncertain for this encounter.

Moreover, Sporting must deal without captain Morten Hjulmand, who is serving a suspension for this match, meaning Braganca may again partner Hidemasa Morita in a double pivot.

Sporting Lisbon probable starting XI:

Silva; Vagiannidis, Diomande, Inacio, Mangas; Braganca, Morita; Catamo, Trincao, Goncalves; Suarez

Arsenal probable starting XI:

Raya; Timber, Mosquera, Saliba, Calafiori; Zubimendi, Rice, Odegaard; Martinelli, Gyokeres, Saka

Both teams come into this clash with differing momentum but have solid records to draw confidence from, with Arsenal unbeaten in the first leg of their last eight European Cup/Champions League quarter-final matches (W3, D5), while Sporting has not lost in their last 20 home games (W19, D1).

This matchup is set to be quite even, with both teams likely to cancel each other out in a contest that could feature goals from both sides, especially if the Gunners cannot field their strongest defensive combination.