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January 20 2025, 14:29 · Alex Lawes
Updated: January 21 2025, 15:07

RB Leipzig vs Sporting CP Preview: Team News & Prediction

RB Leipzig vs Sporting CP Preview: Team News & Prediction

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It has been a miserable campaign in the UEFA Champions League for RB Leipzig and Marco Rose is under immense pressure as they now welcome a faltering Sporting CP side to Germany.

Kick-off date/time: Wednesday 22nd January, 2025: UK – 5:45pm / US ET – 12:45pm / US PT – 9:45am

How to watch on TV: UK – TNT Sports / US – CBS Sports

How to watch online: UK – Discovery+ / US – Paramount+

RB Leipzig Team News: Silva injury

Marco Rose has an abundance of attacking options, including both Benjamin Sesko and Lois Openda, but they are without West Ham United-linked Andre Silva as well as a few defensive injuries such as Benjamin Henrichs and Castello Lukeba.

Predicted XI (4-2-2-2): Vandevoordt; Geertruida, Orban, Bitshiabu, Raum; Seiwald, Haidara; Baumgartner, Nusa; Openda, Sesko

Unavailable: Koss (Suspended), Henrichs (Injured), Lukeba (Injured), Ouedraogo (Injured), Silva (Injured)

Questionable: 

Sporting CP Team News: Change in the system

Following the departure of Ruben Amorim, Sporting have moved away from their back three to a 4-2-3-1 system. They have key injury concerns such as Pedro Goncalves and wing-back Nuno Santos as well as Matheus Reis. 

Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Israel; Quaresma, Diomande, St. Juste, Araujo; Hjulmand, Morita; Catamo, Trincao, Quenda; Gyokeres

Unavailable: Reis (Injured), Santos (Injured), Goncalves (Injured)

Questionable: Quaresma (Injured)

Key Stats

  • This is the first UEFA club competition match between these two teams.
  • Leipzig have lost only one of their previous four UEFA club competition matches against teams from Portugal (W2 D1).
  • Leipzig have lost seven and drawn one of their last eight UEFA Champions League matches. This is their longest winless run in the competition.
  • Leipzig have lost their last four UEFA Champions League matches at home.
  • None of Leipzig’s last 59 UEFA club competition matches finished without a goal being scored. A 0-0 draw against Zorya Luhansk in the 2018/19 UEFA Europa League qualifying play-off round is their only goalless draw in the 76 matches they have played in UEFA club competitions.
  • Benjamin Šeško has scored in six of his last seven competitive appearances for Leipzig.
  • Sporting have won only two of their last ten UEFA club competition matches against German teams (D1 L7).
  • Sporting have not failed to score in their last 17 UEFA club competition matches.
  • Only one of Sporting’s last 50 UEFA club competition matches finished without a goal being scored.
  • Viktor Gyökeres has scored five goals in the UEFA Champions League proper this season - the most by a Sporting player in a single edition in the Champions League era (excluding qualifying).
  • Sporting are unbeaten in their last eight matches in all competitions (W5 D3).
  • Viktor Gyökeres has scored 33 goals in 31 appearances in all competitions for Sporting this season.

RB Leipzig vs Sporting CP Prediction

RB Leipzig come into this one having gone 3-0 up away at bottom-of-the-table Bochum in the Bundesliga at the weekend but then being pegged back to a 3-3 draw. Marco Rose’s side have underperformed throughout this campaign and that has been shown by the fact they have lost six out of six in this season’s UEFA Champions League. Sporting have significantly dropped off since the departure of Amorim but the visitors did manage to hammer Rio Ave by three goals to nil at the weekend. Sporting will be devoid of confidence as they travel to the Red Bull Arena but a double chance bet in their favour remains the best value for this one.

RB Leipzig vs Sporting CP Tip: Double chance – Sporting CP to win or draw