On Thursday night, Sporting Lisbon host Atletico Madrid in the Europa League quarter-final second leg. The Spanish visitors won the first leg 2-0 at the Wanda Metropolitano. Diego Simeone’s side will be highly confident of finishing the job in the Portuguese capital.
Sporting Lisbon heads into this clash in inconsistent form, having lost two of their last three games in all competitions. The home side’s recent form in the Europa League has also been inconsistent. In fact, Sporting have won just two of their last seven games in the competition.
Jorge Jesus’ team have been involved in a number of high scoring games in Europe of late, with eight of their last 11 games in the Europa League producing over 2.5 goals.
Sporting does have a relatively strong home record in this competition, winning three of their last five home games, losing just once in the process. The home side has also scored at least two goals in four of their last five games at home in Europe.
Atletico Madrid are usually mainstays of the Champions league. However, having finished third in their group in Europe’s elite competition they dropped down into the Europa League.
Diego Simeone’s side has not taken long to prove their European pedigree by winning all their games in the competition, while also scoring at least two goals in four of their last five European games.
The men from Madrid have won 22 of their last 25 games in this competition, suffering just three defeats along the way.
Simeone’s side has won their last three away games in the Europa League. The visitors have also won nine of their last 11 away games in the competition.
Forebet predicts that Atletico will record a comfortable victory in a low scoring clash to underline their credentials as potential Europa League winners.