Sporting CP vs Juventus Europa League quarter-final second leg preview: Where to watch, kick-off time, predicted line-ups

Sporting CP and Juventus meet in their UEFA Europa League quarter-final second leg on Thursday 20 April.

Where to watch Sporting CP vs Juventus on TV

Fans can find their local UEFA Europa League broadcast partner(s) here.

What do you need to know?

Juventus have a slender first-leg lead to take to Lisbon but make no mistake, this tie is far from over. Sporting dominated long spells of the first half in Turin, pinning Juventus back and forcing the hosts to play on the counterattack – something to which they did not appear accustomed.

Though the Italians eventually secured a 1-0 win courtesy of a close-range finish from defender Federico Gatti 17 minutes from time, were it not for a superb double-save in added-time from sub keeper Mattia Perin, and two decent first-half stops from the man he replaced, Wojciech Szczęsny, Sporting could have been at least on level terms going into the second leg.

In the end, despite Sporting's impressive display, it was a fourth straight UEFA Europa League win and clean sheet for Massimiliano Allegri's side. Given they have only failed to score in two of their last 24 games in the competition, the Italians will be favourites to progress.

Predicted line-ups

Sporting CP: Adán; Diomande, Coates, Gonçalo Inácio; Ricardo Esgaio, Morita, Pedro Gonçalves, Matheus Reis; Francisco Trincão, Edwards, Nuno Santos
Misses next match if booked: Gonçalo Inácio, Ricardo Esgaio, Matheus Reis
Suspended: None

Juventus: Szczęsny; Gatti, Bremer, Danilo; Cuadrado, Fagioli, Locatelli, Rabiot, Kostić; Di María; Vlahović
Misses next match if booked: Danilo, Miretti, Bremer, Vlahović
Suspended: None

Form guide

Sporting CP
Form (all competitions, most recent first): DLWDWW
Where they stand: 4th in Portuguese Liga

Juventus
Form (all competitions, most recent first): LWLDWW
Where they stand: 7th in Italian Serie A

Expert predictions

Luís Piedade, Sporting CP reporter
Sporting were undone in Turin last week by what is fast becoming a familiar, unwelcome trait: the inability to convert their chances. It was again the Lions' downfall on Sunday, when they twice struck the woodwork and had a penalty saved in a goalless draw with Arouca. Rúben Amorim was at least able to rest a few players with the second leg in mind, while Marcus Edwards was absent through illness. Sporting will hope the Englishman and his team-mates are fit and firing in Lisbon on Thursday.

Fabio Balaudo, Juventus reporter
Beaten in their last two league games, Juve have stalled in their push for a top-four spot in Serie A but remain a very difficult team to score against. They also look set to field a stronger line-up than they did against Sassuolo on Sunday, when Ángel Di María and Federico Chiesa started from the bench. Coach Allegri will want his two most talented players involved from kick-off in Lisbon, and the Bianconeri are able to call on Paul Pogba too as the France midfielder returns from injury.

What the coaches say

Rúben Amorim, Sporting CP coach: "We started the Liga very badly and we were always playing catch-up. The anxiety builds up. It was difficult to get back on a positive trajectory in the league, but Europe has been different. We have been consistent. The difference is more in terms of results than performances. We had more chances than Juventus in Turin. We've had a good Europa League campaign and we're ready."

Massimiliano Allegri, Juventus coach: "[Wojciech] Szczęsny is fine, he's fine. [Adrien] Rabiot is available, he's been training.

"Tomorrow will be different from the Sassuolo loss. Sporting have tall players. However, it is not a matter of defending three or four players as much as of availability and not letting them play certain balls. The match will give us difficulties, they are an excellent team in terms of organisation."

Where is the 2023 Europa League final?

POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Budapest's Puskás Aréna will host the final on 31 May 2023. The winners gain a place in the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League group stage, if they have not qualified via their domestic competition.