Sporting CP vs Galatasaray Preview: Team News & Prediction | 2026-27 UEFA Champions League | League Phase
by Alex Lawes ·
Portuguese giants Sporting CP and Turkish champions Galatasaray will both sense a big opportunity for an early three points in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV & online: UK – TNT Sports & HBO Max / USA – CBS Sports & Paramount+
Sporting CP preview: Silky Sporting
Sporting CP come into this one on the back of a comfortable defeat of Madeira-based Nacional by two goals to nil in Liga Portugal at the weekend, making it four wins and a draw, with 14 goals scored, in their opening five matches domestically.
The Lisbon giants reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League last season with a famous comeback against the slayers of Internazionale, Bodo/Glimt, in the round of 16.
Galatasaray preview: Rectifying wrongs on the road
Away from home in the league phase last season, Galatasaray lost 5-1 to Eintracht Frankfurt, 1-0 in Monaco and 2-0 away against Manchester City before needing extra-time to beat Juventus in Turin, despite winning the first-leg 5-2 in Istanbul.
They then took a first-leg lead to Anfield before being hammered 4-0 by Liverpool in the round of 16. Basically, Gala are strong and can be brilliant but they need to rectify their form on the road in Europe this season.
Sporting CP team news: Couple of injuries
Sporting are dealing with a couple of injuries for this week as both Nuno Santos and Joao Simoes are sidelined, while young defender Ibrahima Ba is a doubt.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Silva; Fresneda, Debast, Inacio, Araujo; Altimira, Doumbia; Catamo, Zalazar, Goncalves; Suarez
Unavailable: Santos (Injured), Simoes (Injured)
Questionable: Ba (Injured)
Galatasaray team news: No Osimhen
The departure of Mauro Icardi leaves Victor Osimhen undisputed up-front for Galatasaray but the Nigeria internationals striker misses their opener on the continent due to an adductor injury with both he and Mario Lemina forced off due to injury at the weekend.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Cakir; Sallai, Sanchez, Bardakci, Jakobs; Torreira, Sara; Sane, Batrakov, Akgun; Yilmaz
Unavailable: Guvenc (Injured), Singo (Injured), Lemina (Injured), Osimhen (Injured)
Questionable:
Sporting CP vs Galatasaray prediction
Sporting can be open, as was the case when they required that dramatic turnaround against Bodo last season, but they will get on the front foot here and should punish a Galatasaray side that struggle on the road in the UEFA Champions League. The Turks, though, knowing that is their issue, will likely remain a threat, especially on the counter-attack, and so both teams scoring seems a decent bet for this one at Estadio Jose Alvalade.
Sporting CP vs Galatasaray Tip: Both teams to score
