Sporting Lisbon vs Juventus Predictions

• Six of Juventus’ last seven games have contained under 2.5 goals, including last week’s first-leg win over Sporting CP.
• Sporting, meanwhile, have seen four of their last six games contain a maximum of two goals.
• Juve have conceded one goal in five Europa League games since dropping down from the Champions League.

Bianconeri defend slender advantage

Last week’s 1-0 home win over a Sporting CP side which eliminated Premier League frontrunners Arsenal in the Europa League’s last 16 represented a fine result for Massimiliano Allegri’s Juventus, who are looking to salvage their frustrating season by winning Europe’s secondary club competition. On Thursday, they know avoiding defeat at the Estadio Jose Alvalade will tee up a semi-final meeting with either Manchester United or Sevilla, and their fine defensive record could help them to do so.

Indeed, Juventus have only conceded once in their five Europa League knockout games this term, having dropped into the competition after a dismal Champions League group-stage campaign. The last four of those matches have seen the Bianconeri keep a clean sheet, while they have seen under 2.5 goals scored in six of their last seven matches across all competitions. The last of their outings – Sunday’s surprise 1-0 Serie A defeat at Sassuolo – may be enough to put questions in punters’ minds, but after resting players including Angel Di Maria, Federico Chiesa and Manuel Locatelli, Juve should be much-improved next time out.

Sporting, like Juve, are relying on their European exploits amid a below-par league campaign, with Braga looking likely to join Benfica and Porto in the Primeira Liga’s Champions League qualification places. Their penalty shoot-out win over Arsenal in the last round, as well as taking four points off Tottenham in the Champions League group stages, should warn punters against writing off Ruben Amorim’s men, though the goals have dried up somewhat recently, with four of their last six games containing under 2.5. Moreover, they have only won two of their last six contests in normal time.

Allegri’s men can keep things tight

Juventus’ record in big games under Allegri is generally good, and the Old Lady have won 12 of their last 17 matches across all competitions, keeping 10 clean sheets in that span. With their fine defensive record in mind, we’re backing the visitors to keep the total goal tally below three on Thursday.

Meanwhile, a 1-1 draw – which would see Juve through to the last four – could represent a solid correct score prediction. For anytime goalscorer punters, Di Maria has four in his last three Europa League games, and with Sporting needing to chase the game, the Argentine may be worth backing to strike on the break.