Arsenal vs Sporting CP: Line-ups confirmed for Champions League clash
Catch up with all the team news ahead of Arsenal vs Sporting in the Champions League quarter-finals
Arsenal are looking to book their place in the Champions League semi-finals as Atletico Madrid await the winners of tonight’s tie against Sporting.
The Portuguese club travel to North London 1-0 down in the tie, but not completely out of reach of the final four.
It will take a big effort to overcome the Premier League leaders, but with the Gunners suffering from a few injury concerns, they will fancy their chances of pulling off the comeback.
Read on to discover the full team news for the clash.
Table of Contents
Arsenal team news
Mikel Arteta makes three changes from the side stunned by Bournemouth in the Premier League last Saturday.
Cristhian Mosquera replaces Ben White at right-back, while Piero Hincapie comes in at left-back in place of Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Further forward Eberechi Eze takes the place of Kai Havertz in the number 10 role.
Arsenal starting XI: Raya; Mosquera, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Rice, Zubimendi; Eze, Madueke, Martinelli; Gyokeres.
Arsenal substitutes: Arrizabalaga, Setford, White, Jesus, Norgaard, Trossard, Havertz, Dudziak, Lewis-Skelly, Dowman, Salmon.
Sporting CP team news
Sporting make two changes from the first leg.
One is enforced as Eduardo Quaresma replaces the injured Ivan Fresneda at right-back. Joao Simoes had been dealing with fitness and drops to the bench, with Morten Hjulmand coming into the midfield.
Sporting starting XI: Rui Silva; Quaresma, Diomande, Inacio, Araujo; Hjulmand, Morita; Catamo, Trincao, Goncalves; Suarez.
Sporting substitutes: Joao Virginia, Debast, Geovany Quenda, Vagiannidis, Kochorashvili, Faye, Braganca, Simoes, Goncalves, Blopa, Nel, Mangas
Where to watch Arsenal v Sporting CP: TV and online streams
Kick-off on Wednesday is at 20:00 BST (15:00 ET / 12:00 PT). Live TV coverage in the UK is on TNT Sports 1.
Streaming is on the HBO Max app. TNT Sports costs £30.99 a month and is available on a vast range of devices including smart TVs and gaming consoles.
To watch elsewhere in the world, click HERE to find your local rights holder.
Stats for Arsenal v Sporting CP
- Arsenal are now unbeaten in their six fixtures against Sporting (W3 D3), winning 5-1 in Portugal on Matchday 5 last season. Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Gabriel, Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard scored for the visitors, Gonçalo Inácio getting Sporting’s sole reply.
- Sporting triumphed in the teams’ only knockout contest, prevailing 5-3 on penalties after a 3-3 aggregate draw in the 2022/23 UEFA Europa League round of 16 (2-2 h, 1-1 a). Inácio scored for Sporting in the first leg – when William Saliba got Arsenal’s first goal and Sporting’s Hidemasa Morita scored an own goal – and Pedro Gonçalves was on target in the second.
- The teams were also paired in the 2018/19 Europa League group stage, Arsenal winning 1-0 in Portugal before a goalless draw in England.
- English clubs have won the last 10 two-legged Champions League ties against Portuguese opposition, since Benfica’s 3-0 aggregate victory against holders Liverpool in the 2005/06 round of 16.
- This is the 10th European Cup quarter-final involving English and Portuguese clubs; English sides have won all the previous nine.
- Arsenal have lost only one of their last 12 matches against Portuguese teams (W6 D5) and are unbeaten in eight at home (W6 D2).
- The Gunners have won three of their five knockout ties against clubs from Portugal.