It seems that Group D of the Europa League is one of the most intriguing heading into the penultimate matchday.
Two of the teams hoping to seal qualification for the last-32 are Sporting Lisbon and PSV Eindhoven. The pair meet on Thursday at the Estadio Jose Alvalade in a crucial game in the context of the group.
The group is still pretty open, with Sporting sitting top of the table on nine points. Meanwhile, PSV are third place level on points with LASK Linz of Austria. Norwegian side Rosenborg have been the whipping boys, having failed to take a point from their four games so far.
A win for the home side would see them through and could even be enough for them to clinch top spot, depending on the result from the other game between LASK Linz and Rosenborg.
Sporting head into this clash in good form following five wins in their previous six outings in all competitions. The Portuguese team have also won their last three outings in the Europa League. The wins ended a three-game winless streak in the competition dating back to last season.
PSV Eindhoven’s form has not been great of late, as a weekend victory over Heerenveen ended a six-match winless run in all competitions for the Dutch team.
After winning their opening group games against Thursday’s opponents and Rosenborg, they have since drawn and lost against LASK Linz in their last two matches. The failure to beat the Austrian side could prove fatal to their chances of qualifying for the knockout stages of the competition.
The Dutch side’s recent away record in this competition is inconsistent, as they have won three of their last seven away games in the Europa League.
Gooooood morning! ☕️#SPOPSV #UEL pic.twitter.com/4UdtrhoI58— PSV (@PSV) November 27, 2019
Gooooood morning! ☕️#SPOPSV #UEL pic.twitter.com/4UdtrhoI58
Forebet predicts that Sporting will book their place in the knockout rounds of the Europa League by recording a victory in a high-scoring encounter.