Juventus sits second in Group D in the Champions League, three points ahead of Sporting Lisbon. Juventus earned a tough 2-1 win at home in the first match between these two, and on Halloween, they will have a difficult time as they head to Portugal for the return leg.
What To Know About Juventus
Juventus made it tough on themselves as Alex Sandro scored an own goal in the 12th minute, but Marialem Pjanic and Mario Mandzukic got the three points for Juventus, who are powered by 12 goals from Paulo Dybala in all competitions. However, none of those goals have come in the Champions League despite the fact that he has 16 shots to lead all Juve players. Juventus have also had some issues on the road in the Champions League as they have played one away game and were drilled 3-0 at Barcelona. Now, take that with a grain of salt because it is Barcelona, but it is still an away game and Juventus can’t afford to lose any concentration and take their foot off the gas against a Sporting Lisbon team that gave them all they could handle in the first game. Juventus will have a pair of Serie A games leading into this match as they’ll host SPAL, and then they’ll head out on the road to take on AC Milan.
What To Know About Sporting Lisbon
To their credit, even though they allowed two goals and didn’t score one on their own, Sporting Lisbon had a gameplan and stuck to it, which was to counterattack and if they put away a couple chances, this might be a different story. Seydou Doumbia just missed getting a touch on a late cross that would have gotten Sporting Lisbon a point. Bas Dost has scored seven goals in all competitions to lead Sporting Lisbon, while midfielder Bruno Fernandes is a threat with six goals. But Sporting Lisbon needs them to step up in the Champions League and at home, this is a fantastic chance for Sporting Lisbon to cause an upset. They also have a home game against last-place Olympiakos left, and second place isn’t out of their reach just yet. A win in this game, and Sporting Lisbon is right in it. Sporting Lisbon visits Rio Ave in the Portuguese Super Liga ahead of this crucial match.
Outlook
Juventus are the favorites on the road at -106, while Sporting Lisbon comes in at +280 and a draw is listed at +240. Sporting Lisbon beat Juventus 2-1 in a 2011 friendly, and they’re going to be a tough game for Juventus, who have a difficult trip to AC Milan in the game before this one, so that might be a slight edge for the home team, who have the tools to pick up a draw and stay in the running for second place. Juventus just looks unsettled in the Champions League and in Serie A, and that should be enough to get Sporting Lisbon a point at home on Halloween.
Champions League Betting Pick: Draw
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