Sporting CP vs Club Brugge Preview: Team News & Prediction | 2025-26 UEFA Champions League | League Phase
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Portuguese champions Sporting CP are seeking to find some consistency and fluency in the UEFA Champions League as they take on Club Brugge at Estadio Jose Alvalade.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – TNT Sports / US – Not televised
How to watch online: UK – discovery+ / US – Paramount+
Sporting CP preview: Pushing for the top eight
Sporting CP begin the fifth match day of the league phase of this season’s UEFA Champions League sitting just outside of the top eight with two victories and a draw in their opening four matches.
Sporting come into this one on the back of a 3-0 hammering of Marinhense in the third round of the Taca de Portugal at the weekend. That means they are now unbeaten in their last nine matches across all competitions since losing to Napoli.
Club Brugge preview: Entertaining Belgians
Club Brugge have again produced a thrilling squad capable of brilliant watches for the neutral, as was the case in their most recent outing in this competition as they shared a 3-3 draw with Spanish champions Barcelona at the Janbreydelstadion.
That means their four UEFA Champions League games have now consisted of 18 goals. Their most recent outing saw them edge past Sporting Charleroi by a goal to nil to still be challenging at the top-of-the-table in the Belgian Jupiler Pro League.
Sporting CP team news: Goncalves out
The home team have a few injury issues for the visit of Club Brugge, most notably Pedro Goncalves, whose absence will be sorely missed by the hosts.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Silva; Vagiannidis, Diomande, Inacio, Araujo; Hjulmand, Simoes; Quenda, Trincao, A. Santos; Suarez
Unavailable: Debast (Injured), N. Santos (Injured), Braganca (Injured), Goncalves (Injured), Ioannidis (Injured)
Questionable:
Club Brugge team news: Experienced absentees
Club Brugge are dealing with a number of injuries themselves, including experienced goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, formerly of Liverpool, and versatile defender Bjorn Meijer.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Jackers; Sabbe, Ordonez, Mechele, Seys; Stankovic, Onyedika; Forbs, Vanaken, Tzolis; Tresoldi
Unavailable: Mignolet (Injured), Reis (Injured), Meijer (Injured)
Questionable:
Sporting CP vs Club Brugge prediction
A tweak in the system and a slightly more possession-dominant style of football for Sporting CP has maintained their strong level in the Portuguese top-flight, but they haven’t quite improved on the continent. They now face a Club Brugge side that, with wing duo Carlos Forbs and Christos Tzolis, will believe they can exploit the Portuguese side on the counter-attack and so both teams scoring would appear a good bet for this one in Lisbon.
Sporting CP vs Club Brugge Tip: Both teams to score
