Prediction: Sporting Lisbon vs Atalanta

Prediction: Sporting Lisbon to win 2-1

Best Odds: 7/1

Bookmaker: Zetbet

Sporting Lisbon and Atalanta will lock horns with each other in the UEFA Europa League this week. The first leg of the Round of 16 tie between the Primeira Liga club from Portugal and the Serie A outfit from Italy will be held at Estádio José Alvalade and is scheduled to kick off at 5:45 pm UK time on Wednesday.

Sporting Lisbon

Sporting Lisbon are one of the biggest clubs in Portugal and are hugely successful. They have a massive fanbase and a loyal following, and they are used to playing in the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League.

Rúben Amorim’s side are doing extremely well this season. Sporting are at the top of the Portuguese Primeira Liga table at the moment with 59 points from 23 matches. They are a point above Benfica, who are second and have played 24 games. FC Porto in third are on 52 points from 24 games.

Sporting will head into the UEFA Europa League match against Atalanta on the back of a 3-2 victory over SC Farense at home in the Portuguese Primeira Liga. That followed a 2-1 victory over Benfica at home in the first leg of the Taca de Portugal tie which came after a 3-3 draw with Rio Ave on the road in the league. Sporting finished second in UEFA Europa League Group D with 11 points from six matches, three points behind group winners Atalanta.

Team News:

Sporting Lisbon will line up in a 3-4-3 formation. Israel will start in goal for the home team. Diomande, Coates and Reis will be three defenders. Esgaio, Hjulmand, Braganca and Santos will be in midfielder. Trincao, Gyokeres and Edwards will be the three forwards.

Atalanta

Atalanta have established themselves as a major team in Serie A in recent seasons. They have played in the UEFA Champions League and have regularly challenged for a place in the top four of the Serie A table. Manager Gian Piero Gasperini has transformed Atalanta, and they are going through a golden period in their history.

I Nerazzurri are very much in the running for a top-four finish in Serie A this season. Atalanta are sixth in the league table at the moment with 46 points from 27 matches. They are five points behind fourth-placed Bologna and could still end up in the UEFA Champions League places.

Atalanta lost 2-1 to Bologna at home in Serie A last weekend. It came after a 4-0 hammering at the hands of Inter Milan away from home in the league which came after a 1-1 draw with AC Milan at San Siro in Serie A. They finished top of UEFA Europa League Group D ahead of Sporting and will fancy their chances of winning against the Portuguese club.

Team News:

Atalanta are likely to line up in a 3-4-1-2 formation. Musso will be in goal. Scalvini, Djimsiti and Kolasinac will be the three defenders. Hateboer, Pasalic, Ederson and Bakker will be the four midfielders. Koopmeiners will be deployed as the playmaker and will have De Ketelaere and Lookman ahead of him in attack.

Key Factors to Consider

• Sporting Lisbon have won 3 of their last 6 UEFA Europa League matches.
• Sporting Lisbon have won 4 of their last 6 matches in all competitions.
• Atalanta have won 4 of their last 6 UEFA Europa League games.
• Atalanta have lost their last 2 games in all competitions.
• Charles De Ketelaere has scored 8 goals and given 6 assists in 29 matches all competitions for Atalanta this season.

Conclusion

Sporting Lisbon are at home for the first leg and will fancy their chances of winning it against Atalanta. Although the Italian club have a good and strong squad, Sporting have more experience in major European competitions than Atalanta and are likely to  eke out a narrow win.

Prediction: Sporting Lisbon to win 2-1

Best Odds: 7/1

Bookmaker: Zetbet