Sporting CP and Ajax will open their Champions League campaigns on Wednesday when they lock horns in a Group C clash at Jose Alvalade in the Portuguese capital with kickoff at 22:00.
Sporting CP return to the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 2017 after winning the Portuguese Primeira Liga last season. Ruben Amorim guided Sporting Lisbon to their first Primeira Liga tittle in 19 years in his first full campaign in professional management, booking them a direct ticket to the famous tournament that they last made an appearance in 2017/2018 group stage where they were eliminated.
The Portuguese capital side displayed a dominant force in the Primeira Liga last season as they recorded 85 points from 34 matches while conceding only 20 goals and the OS Leoes remained unbeaten until the 4-3 defeat from the fellow city rivals Benfica. Sporting now seem to have picked where they left off as they still remain unbeaten this season with three wins after five opening matches and currently sit in the third spot with 11 points only four points behind the top-placed Benfica.
Sporting are know for their attacking style of play and have scored in each of the matches this season but are often shaky in their defense as they have struggled to keep clean sheets as the club has only recorded two clean sheets in their last seven matches across all competitions. They head into the match off the of a 1-1 draw with FC Porto and will desperate for a win as they look to further up the tournament this time around.
Meanwhile Ajax also secured a direct passage to the group stage of the Champions League after claiming the Eredivisie for the 35th time last season. The Dutch giants are regulars in the tournament but have failed to progress to the knockout stage in the last two competitions having cruised through to the semifinals in 2018/19 where they were eliminated by a late goal from Tottenham.
Now playing alongside Dortmund, Besiktas and Sporting in Group C, Ajax will fancy their chances of qualifying to the knockouts in this year’s competition having made a strong start to their 2021/22 Eredivisie campaign. They head to the Portuguese capital with three wins and a draw in their opening four matches that has left them second in the league standings with 10 points only two points behind top-placed and close rivals PSV.
Ajax are tremendous in their attack as they boast with several talents in that department and have registered seven goals in just two last matches but have looked poor defensively in the continental football as their have conceded in each of their last seven Champions League matches.
Ajax will also be desperate to get off the mark at the first time of asking as they aim for the knockouts this time around.
Sporting Lisbon vs Ajax head to head
This will be the first fight between these two who are boasting in good forms as Sporting have not lost in any their last six matches while Ajax have only lost one of their last six matches across all competitions.
Home
- Sporting 1-1 Porto
- Famalicao 1-1 Sporting
- Sporting 2-0 Belenenses
- Braga 1-2 Sporting
- Sporting 3-0 Vizela
Away
- Zwolle 0-2 Ajax
- Ajax 5-0 Vitesse
- Enschede 1-1 Ajax
- Ajax 5-0 Nijmegen
- Ajax 0-4 PSV
Sporting Lisbon team news
Sporting will be without Pedro Goncalves due to an injury and captain Sebastian Coates who will serve a suspension while Goncalo Inacio and Tiago Tomas are listed as doubts.
Ajax team news
Ajax continue to be without Andre Onana who is serving a suspension while both Sean Klaiber and Mohammed Kudus are likely to miss out.
Prediction and odds
- Draw
- Ajax win
- Both sides to score
