The Champions League returns to the fold this week as Manchester City welcomes Sporting Lisbon to Stadium for the second leg fixture after an emphatic 5-0 win in the first leg. Match day schedules for 9th March 2023 at 23:00.
Manchester City is on a six-point lead with 69 points atop the Premier League rankings. City has won seven of their last eight fixtures in all competitions ahead of the second leg. Pep Guardiola’s men are the reigning English champions, and they were the favorites to secure the European title as well last year before they were felled by Chelsea in the final.
The Cityzens gets into this match after they trashed Manchester United 4-1 in the Premier League in their last fixture. In that game, Manchester City had 69% possession, 24 shots with 10 of them on target and goals scored by Kevin De Bruyne (5′, 28′) and Riyad Mahrez (68′, 91′). Manchester United got five shots with two of them on target and a goal by Jadon Sancho (22′)
On the other hand, Sporting Lisbon sits in the second place with 61 points in the Portuguese top flight. They are winless in four of their last six fixtures, and they historically have a poor head to head record against other English teams. Sporting are on a two-game winless run on the road, and it’s been almost two months since they have kept a clean sheet on the road and now they are facing the and English giant.
Lisbon heads into this match confident coming off 2-0 Primeira Liga triumph versus Arouca in their last match. In that game, Sporting Lisbon had 63% possession, 15 shots with six of them on target and goals scored by Islam Slimani (46′, 52′). The opponents Arouca got five shots with two of them on target.
Manchester City vs Sporting Lisbon head to head
This will be the fifth meetings between these two teams since 2010. Each sides claims two wins from the past four meetings.
- Sporting Lisbon 0-5 Man City 15/02/22
- Man City 3-2 Sporting Lisbon 16/03/12
- Sporting Lisbon 1-0 Man City 08/03/12
- Sporting Lisbon 2-0 Man City 24/07/10
Home
- Man City 4-1 Man Utd
- Peterborough 0-2 Man City
- Everton 0-1 Man City
- Man City 2-3 Tottenham
- Sporting Lisbon 0-5 Man City
Away
- Sporting Lisbon 2-0 Arouca
- Sporting Lisbon 1-2 Porto
- Maritimo Madeira 1-1 Sporting Lisbon
- Sporting Lisbon 3-0 Estoril
- Sporting Lisbon 0-5 Man City
Manchester City team news
The hosts will be without Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake, Cole Palmer and Zack Steffen who have been sidelined with injuries. Kyle Walker will miss the game due to suspension
Sporting Lisbon team news
Daniel Braganca, Joao Palhinha and Pote are all doubts after missing the weekend’s game against Arouca while Matheus Nunes is suspended due to an accumulation of yellow cards.
Prediction and odds
Manchester has lost just twice in the past four-months and they have lost just twice at home since the first week of May 2021. We expect them to pick up all the three points confidently.
- Manchester City win
- Draw
- Both teams to score (No)
