Sporting - Brugge: Can Sporting extend their winning streak?
On Wednesday, 26 November, Sporting host Brugge in Lisbon in UEFA Champions League action. Kick-off is set for 21:00 CET, and here is my betting pick for the match.
Sporting - Brugge: Match facts and head-to-head
- Sporting are unbeaten in nine straight matches: two draws and seven wins.
- Brugge have suffered just one defeat in their last six fixtures.
- Sporting have scored at least once in 18 consecutive games.
- Both teams have scored the same number of goals — eight.
- Sporting score in both halves in 50% of their matches this season.
- Sporting have won to nil in 39% of their games this season, while Brugge have done so in 38%.
- Sporting have not lost a single match this season without scoring.
- These sides have met twice in history — and Brugge won on both occasions: 3–2 on penalties and 2–1.
Sporting - Brugge: Match preview
Sporting are in superb form, riding a nine-game unbeaten run. In the Champions League, they opened with a 4–1 win over Kairat, followed by a 2–1 victory against Marseille and a 1–1 draw with Juventus. Their only defeat came against Napoli, 1–2. Sporting currently sit on seven points after four rounds, holding 13th place in the table. A playoff spot is not yet secured, but their early results have been promising.
Brugge, meanwhile, also occupy a playoff position for now, but their standing is far more precarious than Sporting’s. The Belgians thrashed Monaco 4–1 on Matchday 1, but have not won since. They then lost 1–2 to Atalanta, were routed 0–4 by Bayern Munich, and earned a positive 3–3 draw with Barcelona. With four points from four matches, Brugge sit 22nd in the table. Their margin over the team in 25th place is just one point, making their fight for the playoffs much tougher.
Probable lineups
- Sporting: Silva; Araujo, Inacio, Diomande, Vagiannidis; Simoes, Hjulmand; Catamo, Trincao, Quenda; Suarez
- Brugge: Jackers; Seys, Mechele, Ordonez, Siquet; Onyedika, Stankovic; Diakhon, Vanaken, Forbs; Tresoldi
Prediction
Sporting are the clear favourites at home. They are unbeaten in nine matches and boast an impressive scoring streak. Brugge should put up resistance, but I expect Sporting to come out on top.
