Arsenal vs. Sporting CP Champions League odds, betting prediction

Arsenal find themselves in a decent spot to secure their first UEFA Champions League semifinal since the 2008-09 season. Sporting, however, just needs one goal to make things level, giving them a chance to make it the furthest they’ve ever made it in the European tournament. 

The stakes couldn’t get any higher, with kickoff for this second leg at Emirates Stadium set for 3:00 PM ET on Wednesday.

Arsenal vs. Sporting CP odds, trends

Sporting still have yet to defeat the mighty Gunners after six matches played, but their match last week was one to be proud of as they kept the scoreline at 0-0 for an entire 90′ before being broken through. Arsenal ripped nine shots with five on target, while the Portuguese side nearly matched them with seven of their own, three on target, although the Gunners wore them down with 58% possession before allowing an added-time second-half game-winner.

Arsenal now take home field as -200 favourites on the Champions League odds board against their +650 longshot opponents, although if the Gunners win by one, Sporting could cover the +1.5 spread at -160. A draw is possible after last week’s showing at +375, with the over 2.5 likely to hit at -115.

Arsenal

The Gunners appear to have run into some issues while juggling their domestic league and the Champions League, with the team dropping points in a 2-1 loss to Bournemouth last Saturday in the EPL. Now, they’ve lost three games in their last five matches in all competitions, allowing six goals in total, which is highly uncharacteristic for the English side. Still, though, the Gunners lock their gaze on Champions League, with zero losses in the tournament this season, the only team to still hold such a feat, so don’t expect them to waver based on their results in other competitions.

Viktor Gyokeres added a consolation penalty goal against Bournemouth for his 12th of the season, set to score tonight anytime as the game’s highest probable goalscorer at +138. Gabriel Jesus still leads the team with six UCL goals as he enters this one at +165 odds to score, with last match’s game winner, Kai Havertz, following at +180.

Sporting CP

Sporting’s best chance for a massive upset in this tie comes now, as Arsenal hasn’t lost more games in a shorter span of time than this month. But, not only will reaching the next round be a miracle for Lisbon, but winning the game at Emirates Stadium is a task few teams have managed this year. However, Sporting saw plenty of close chances in their match against the Gunners and returned to Liga Portugal to secure a narrow 1-0 victory over Estela Amadora on Saturday. Sporting’s chances of staying in the Champions League are slim, but they can still give Arsenal a scare, especially if Luis Suarez hits his stride.

Suarez still finds himself as the team’s most likely goalscorer of the afternoon at +350 with five under his belt in the UCL already, and 24 in the Portuguese League. Both Pedro Goncalves and Francisco Trincao follow up their lethal striker at +450 and +550 respectively, with Trincao showing four UCL this season as well.

Who Will Win Arsenal vs. Sporting CP?

I truly expect another Arsenal win here, as they are at home against a side they beat previously. At this point in the season, Arteta should’ve drilled his team on the importance of making no more mistakes, and we should see a renewed Gunners side hit the turf this afternoon. If they can’t beat Sporting, the side would falter to the likes of PSG, Bayern, or Real Madrid. They will play the defensive game for sure, and Sporting should be wary not to allow many corner kicks, as Arsenal’s set plays will slowly dwindle them down until an opportunity presents itself. 

While Sporting possesses several players with creative offensive capabilities, their team depth is lacking to go a full 90+ minutes against the Gunners. If anything, they could cover the +1.5 spread even if they fail to score, but it will likely be another 1-0 win for Arsenal in this second-leg matchup.