It is only the second time PSV and Sporting Club de Portugal have met in a European tournament. Five years ago, they played each other in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League. This time they face each other on the biggest European stage: the UEFA Champions League.
In the previous match in Eindhoven, PSV was 3-2 too strong for the Portuguese. Donyell Malen, Timo Baumgartl and an own goal by Sebastián Coates provided the PSV production, while Bruno Fernandes and Pedro Mendes scored for Sporting CP. In the subsequent away game, the Portuguese were too strong. Luiz Phellype, Bruno Fernandes (2) and Jérémy Mathieu provided a 4-0 final score in favor of tonight's away team.
Strikers
PSV has a top-class striker in Luuk de Jong but the visitors also have a real goalgetter. Viktor Gyökeres managed to score in all his matches this season until last weekend. With fourteen goals and four assists in ten games, PSV should see him off. Only in last weekend's match against Estoril Praia was he not directly involved in a goal. Last season, the 26-year-old Swede scored 43 times in 50 matches.
Competition
Sporting CP's European adventure started with a 2-0 win over LOSC Lille. Looking at the standings in the national leagues of both teams, one thing stands out. Both PSV and Sporting CP have both yet to drop a point in the seven games they have played. Both teams were also in form last season. PSV scored 91 points in 34 matches, while Sporting CP collected one less point in as many duels. As a result, both teams crowned themselves national champions.
Selection
Currently, Sporting CP has one Dutchman in the selection: Jeremiah St. Juste has been playing for the Portuguese club where Rúben Amorim has been coach since March 4, 2020. Former Excelsior Rotterdam player Marcus Edwards also plays for the Portuguese top club. However, Amorin is unlikely to be able to call on either player. St. Juste has been injured for a long time and Edwards also does not seem fit for the encounter with PSV.
Eleven players played for both clubs in the past. The most recent is striker Bruma. Stijn Schaars, current assistant to Peter Bosz, also played for both clubs. Zakaria Labyad, Santiago Arias, Bryan Ruiz, Rabiu Ibrahim, Manoel, Stan Valckx, Marcos Joaquim dos Santos, Abel Xavier and Rob McDonald have also worn the jersey of both teams.
