Arsenal host Sporting Lisbon in the second leg of their Quarter-Final tie in the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League.
With a 1-0 aggregate lead from the first leg, Arsenal will advance to the semi-finals if they avoid defeat.
Sporting Lisbon meanwhile must win by a two-goal margin at minimum to qualify for the semi-finals.
Team News
Piero Hincapie is set to return for Arsenal after he missed their last three matches with a muscle injury.
Riccardo Calafiori (knock), Declan Rice (fitness), Bukayo Saka (Achilles) and Jurrien Timber (ankle) face late fitness checks.
Martin Odegaard (knee) and Mikel Merino (foot) remain absent.
Sporting Lisbon will welcome midfielder, Morten Hjulmand back after he was suspended for the first leg of this tie.
Ivan Fresneda has been left at home after he suffered a muscle injury during their Primera Liga win at Estrela Amadora.
Luis Guilherme (ankle), Fotis Ioannidis (knee), Geovany Quenda (metatarsal) and Nuno Santos (thigh) remain absent.
When is Kick-Off?
Arsenal host Sporting Lisbon at Emirates Stadium on Wednesday 15 April at 8pm BST, live on TNT Sports 1 in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Arsenal have won each of their two previous Champions League meetings against Sporting Lisbon (W2), which ended in 5-1 and 1-0 away wins respectively.
- Sporting Lisbon are making their first Champions League visit to Arsenal, but are winless in their three previous visits to the Gunners in all competitions (D2, L1).
- Each of Arsenal’s two previous home matches against Sporting Lisbon to be played at the Emirates Stadium have ended in draws (0-0 in November 2018 & 1-1 in March 2023), having lost 3-0 in their first such trip at the Gunners’ former home – Highbury in November 1969.
- Arsenal have kept clean sheets in three of their five Champions League matches at home this season (W5).
- Sporting Lisbon have won just one of their five Champions League matches away from home this season (W1, D1, L3).
Prediction
With a slender lead and having produced a lacklustre top-flight performance in their defeat at home to Bournemouth last Saturday and with a crucial trip to Manchester City to come on Sunday, Arsenal really need to produce a strong home performance if want to win this tie.
Sporting Lisbon meanwhile would of been frustrated to have suffered a late home defeat in the first leg which could be costly given their poor away record in Europe, but their key players were rested against Estrela Amadora so I do expect them to come out fighting as the first goal here is key.
If Sporting strike first then this could go either way or to penalties, but I do expect Arsenal to turn up and find a way to nick this tie as even a draw will be enough on aggregate.
Prediction: Arsenal 1-1 Sporting Lisbon
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