Sporting Lisbon vs Marseille Predictions

• Marseille have not kept a clean sheet in their last 18 Champions League matches.
• Sporting are without suspended goalkeeper Antonio Adan and defended sloppily on Saturday.
• Alexis Sanchez has scored six goals in his last nine Marseille appearances.

Lisbon clash looks good for BTTS

Both teams should find the back of the net when Sporting Lisbon seek revenge for last Tuesday’s trouncing in Marselle in the return clash at the Alvalade. Ruben Amorim promised his side would turn it around after going down 4-1 at the Stade Velodrome, but there was little evidence of any improved defending in their 2-1 away win over Santa Clara on Saturday.

The Azoreans mustered double Sporting’s attempts on target in the game and you could have driven the proverbial bus through the space between the two Sporting centre-backs for their late consolation strike.

Someone as nimble and precise as Alexis Sanchez could profit from similar situations in Lisbon this week as Marseille bid to draw level with Sporting in Group D.

Marseille’s defence is letting them down

Marseille’s defence is their weak point at the moment, however, and was again found wanting at the weekend when they lost 2-1 at home to Ajaccio. Leonardo Balerdi gave the promoted club a helping hand with an own goal.

Igor Tudor’s backline seemed half asleep when Trincao put Sporting 1-0 up last week, although that goal was rendered immaterial by Antonio Adan’s calamitous display in goal. After gifting Marseille a goal, he got himself sent off. Substitute keeper Franco Israel then looked out of his depth as OM scored two more.

Hence BTTS should come in here as both forward lines can expect chances to come their way. A 2-1 Sporting win is tentatively taken based on Marseille’s woeful away record in this competition, which has seen the French club lose nine straight on the road and fail to keep a clean sheet in the last 18 overall.