Sporting Lisbon have a three-goal deficit to overturn to keep their Champions League dreams alive as they welcome debutants Bodo/Glimt for the second leg of their round-of-16 tie.
Rui Borges’s men crumbled in last week’s first-leg clash in Norway, suffering a 3-0 defeat and leaving themselves with a huge mountain to climb if they are to reach the quarter-finals of Europe’s top competition for the first time since the 1982-83 European Cup.
Read our Sporting Lisbon vs Bodo/Glimt prediction and betting tips below, and check out more expert selections on our Champions League betting tips page.
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Sporting vs Bodo key stats
- Luis Suarez has scored in back-to-back home games in the Champions League.
- Sporting have won each of their last 15 matches at Jose Alvalade.
- Seven of the Lions’ nine Champions League outings this season have seen both teams score.
- There have been goals at both ends in each of Bodo’s last 11 matches across all competitions.
Sporting Lisbon vs Bodo/Glimt preview: Lions chase rare remontada
| Sporting Lisbon | vs | Bodo/Glimt |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd (Primeira Liga) | Position | 8th (Eliteserien new season) |
| 62 | Points | 0 (no games played after matchday one) |
| 64 | Goals For | 0 |
| 14 | Goals Against | 0 |
| 13 | Clean Sheets | 0 |
| 2nd | Home Rank | 7th |
| 3rd | Away Rank | 2nd |
Having been outclassed on a cold night in Norway on the artificial turf at Aspmyra Stadion, Sporting must now attempt to come back from a three-goal deficit, something that has only happened once in the club’s entire participation in UEFA competition.
That came in the 1963-64 Cup Winners' Cup quarter-finals against Manchester United, and while repeating that feat appears an uphill task, the Lions can draw belief from the fact that they have recorded a 100% win rate at home in this Champions League campaign.
Six of Sporting’s last eight competitive wins in normal time have been decided by a single goal.
In addition to winning all four UCL games at Jose Alvalade this season, Sporting also enter this match refreshed after their weekend league fixture against Tondela was postponed to ease fixture congestion.
The hosts are also strengthened by the return of Maximiliano Araujo and Pedro Goncalves after both served suspensions in last week’s first-leg encounter in Norway, though Fotis Ioannidis (knee), Ricardo Mangas (knee) and Geovany Quenda (foot) remain sidelined.
Glimt have also had ample time to rest, having played no part on matchday one of the Eliteserien over the weekend, meaning they enter this contest refreshed as they look to continue their fairytale journey in their debut Champions League campaign.
The Super Team secured one of the final playoff spots thanks to a strong run that saw them defeat Manchester City and Atletico Madrid in the final two rounds of the league phase.
Glimt have scored at least twice in nine of their previous 11 matches in the Champions League proper.
Having also beaten Inter Milan home and away in that intermediate round, Kjetil Knutsen’s side became the first Norwegian team to record four straight victories in the Champions League proper and can reach another historic milestone on Wednesday.
With a healthy advantage in this round-of-16 tie thanks to goals from Sondre Fet, Ole Blomberg and Kasper Hogh, the Scandinavian minnows are now one step away from becoming the first Norwegian side to reach the Champions League quarter-finals since Rosenborg in 1996-97.
Achieving that may not cause much concern for the Super Team, who have won seven of their last nine UEFA two-legged ties and all five previous ones when holding a three-goal advantage after the first leg at home, and manager Knutsen is likely to stick with his winning formula after naming the same starting lineup in the previous five European outings.
Sporting vs Bodo form guide & betting tips
| Sporting Lisbon | vs | Bodo/Glimt |
|---|---|---|
| W-W-W-D-L | Form | W-W-W-W-W |
| 9 | Goals For | 12 |
| 5 | Goals Against | 4 |
| W-W-L | Champions League form | W-W-W |
Whispers predicts: Sporting 3-2 Bodo
Sporting are attempting a rare comeback from a heavy first-leg defeat but face a difficult challenge against a Bodo side that is unlikely to sit back entirely, with the Norwegian club’s attacking record in the Champions League highlighting their threat.
As such, we expect the visitors to breach Sporting’s defence, although the Portuguese hosts should still claim victory on the night thanks to their formidable run of 15 consecutive home wins.
That strengthens the case for both teams to score, priced at 1.53 on Bet365, while Sporting to win is available at 1.57 odds.
Meanwhile, Sporting to score over 2.5 goals also offers solid value at 2.25 odds, while Bodo to score at least twice is priced attractively at 2.62.
The home side to win and over 3.5 goals stands out as a value option at 3.00 odds, while a 3-2 correct score in favour of the hosts is available at 19.00 odds.
> Match result - Sporting to win at 1.57| Likelihood: Probable
> Anytime scorer - Luis Suarez at 1.72 Odds| Likelihood: Probable
> Sporting over 2.5 goals - Yes at 2.25 Odds| Likelihood: Possible
> Bodo over 1.5 goals - Yes at 2.62 odds| Likelihood: Possible
> Correct score - Sporting 3-2 Bodo at 19.00 odds| Likelihood: Outsider