Football

Real Madrid vs Sporting Lisbon Match Preview

NAIJABET.COM

Real Madrid begin their quest to do what no side has done in the Uefa Champions League era and retain the European Cup. The defending champions kick off their 2016/17 campaign against a Sporting Clube de Portugal side seeking their own first – a victory in Spain.

For Cristiano Ronaldo, the match brings a reunion with the club where he spent six years (1997–2003) before leaving for Manchester United.

The clubs last met in the 2000/01 Champions League first group stage, when Madrid were again defending champions. Then as now they faced each other on matchday one – on 12 September 2000 – and Madrid recovered a two-goal half-time deficit to draw 2-2 in Lisbon as a Roberto Carlos free-kick and Rui Jorge own goal cancelled out Ricardo Sá Pinto and André Cruz’s goals.

Vicente del Bosque’s men won the return 4-0 with Guti, Sávio and Fernando Morientes (two) all scoring. Madrid finished top of the group and Augusto Inácio’s Sporting bottom.

Match Background

Real Madrid

This Group F fixture comes 109 days after Madrid won their 11th European Cup with a 5-3 penalty shoot-out victory over neighbours Club Atlético de Madrid following a 1-1 draw in Milan. Naijabet.com

Madrid won all six home games in the 2015/16 competition, with an aggregate scoreline of 19-0.

They have won 26 of their last 30 Champions League home fixtures, losing just once – 4-3 to FC Schalke 04 in 2014/15.

Madrid have never lost at home to visitors from Portugal (W8 D1).

Sporting

This is Sporting’s seventh participation in the Champions League group stage and only once have they progressed to the knockout round, reaching the 2008/09 round of 16.

Sporting were Portuguese Liga runners-up last term when they also reached the last 32 of the Europa League before losing home and away to Bayer 04 Leverkusen.

Sporting’s record in Spain reads W0 D3 L7. Their last visit was for a 3-1 semi-final second-leg defeat at Athletic Club in the 2011/12 Europa League – a result that cost them a final place (3-4 agg). Rui Patrício and João Pereira both played that night.

Match Facts

Real Madrid Real Madrid have won four out of four in 2016/17, including their extra-time win against Sevilla FC in the UEFA Super Cup.

Cristiano Ronaldo (knee) and Karim Benzema (hip) sat out Madrid’s first three games this season as they recovered from injuries. Both returned in Saturday’s 5-2 defeat of CA Osasuna, Ronaldo scoring within six minutes.

By scoring on Saturday, Sergio Ramos now has goals in 13 straight Liga campaigns.

Ronaldo and Pepe were in the Portugal side that won EURO 2016, with Pepe named man of the match in the final.

Keylor Navas (foot), Isco (ankle) and Fábio Coentrão (foot) are all sidelined.

Gareth Bale scored twice in Wales’ 4-0 Fifa World Cup qualifying win against Moldova on 5 September, moving second on the country’s all-time top scorer list with 24 goals, four behind Ian Rush.

Marco Asensio made his Spain debut against Liechtenstein on 5 September, when Álvaro Morata scored twice in an 8-0 win.

Marco Asensio scored his first competitive goal for Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup win on 9 August, when Sergio Ramos hit a late equaliser in regulation time before Dani Carvajal won it in the 119th minute.

Sporting CP

Sporting are on a 13-match winning run in the Portuguese Liga, scoring 38 and conceding seven.

Sporting are the last team in Portugal with a 100% record this season.

The Lions have conceded just once in four games this season.

Gelson Martins has two goals and two assists to his name this season.

Sporting were very busy on the final day of the transfer window on 31

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