Viking FK vs Sabah – News and Probable Lineups

On Wednesday evening, Viking FK will take on Sabah in the Champions League, as both teams look to secure a crucial three points.

Sabah is currently placed 25th in the overall Champions League standings, having earned three points across three matches, while Viking is in 33rd place with just one point from three games.

Match overview

This matchup comes as Viking heads into the European fixture following a 3-2 loss to Bodo/Glimt in the Eliteserien, although they still sit atop their domestic league table with 59 points from 25 matches.

This will be the first time the Dark Blues compete in the Champions League since the 1992-93 season, where they faced Barcelona in the first round but were defeated 1-0.

The Norwegian side, managed by Bjarte Lunde Aarsheim and Morten Jensen, began their Champions League group stage campaign with a 3-1 defeat against Stuttgart.

Viking then managed a 3-3 draw with Bayern Munich, before losing 3-1 to Aston Villa in their most recent Champions League match, leaving them in 33rd position with only one point from three matches.

Notably, the Dark Blues have found the net in each of their last 11 European matches, setting a new club record, and their recent seven home games have all produced at least three goals.

In contrast, Sabah kicked off their Champions League group stage with a heavy 4-0 loss to Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Valdas Dambrauskas’ team then bounced back with a 2-0 win against Slavia Prague in their second match, but they were unable to maintain the momentum and suffered a 2-1 home defeat against Borussia Dortmund last time out, leaving them in 25th place in the Champions League standings.

The Owls will enter this fixture following a 3-2 loss to Turan in the Azerbaijão Premier League, which currently puts them second in the division behind Neftci Baku.

It is worth noting that this season marks Sabah’s first foray into the European Cup, and this is only their fourth European campaign, having previously been unable to progress beyond the qualifying rounds of either the Conference League or the Europa League.

Before the conclusion of the Champions League group stage, the Azerbaijani team will also take on Barcelona, Villarreal, Napoli, and Arsenal.

Team News

Viking is set to miss Anders Baertelsen (foot), Veton Berisha (thigh), Sondre Bjorshol (knee), Nick D’Agostino (knee), and Martin Ove Roseth (muscle) for the European clash on Wednesday.

Peter Christiansen has been in outstanding form this season, contributing 15 goals and nine assists across 27 appearances, and he is expected to retain his role in the attacking lineup.

Zlatko Tripic is also anticipated to feature prominently, having netted seven goals and provided 24 assists in 31 matches across all competitions.

For Sabah, Veljko Simic (unspecified) will undergo assessment prior to kickoff, but the squad is otherwise in good shape.

Joy-Lance Mickels has been a standout performer for Sabah this season with 11 goals in 20 matches and will likely continue to play a key role in the attack.

Kaheem Parris, who has scored three times in 15 appearances this season, is also anticipated to be included in the offensive structure.

Viking FK probable starting XI:

Ostbo; Heggheim, Stensness, Falchener, Kristoffer Haugen; Bjordal, Bell, Askildsen; Christiansen, Bothheim, Tripic

Sabah probable starting XI:

Pokatilov; Zedadka, Solvet, Dashdamirov, Puchacz; Rakhmonaliev, Lepinjica, Khaibulaev; Parris, Mickels, Nwachukwu

This match promises to be an exciting and high-scoring Champions League fixture, and there is an expectation that both teams will end up sharing the points on Wednesday.