UEFA Champions League: Sporting CP vs Juventus preview

Sporting play their last chance of remaining in the qualification race from Champions League Group D when they face Serie A champions Juventus at Jose Alvalade Stadium on Tuesday. The Portuguese side proved they are no pushovers in the reverse fixture, they had a 1-0 lead in Turin and were defeated by a late goal from Mario Mandzukic. That was the eighth victory in fourteen meetings against Portuguese teams for Juventus, while Sporting have won just five times in 28 matches against Italian teams. Sporting bounced back from the defeat in Turin with two consecutive domestic league victories, 5-1 at home over Chaves and 1-0 at Rio Ave last week. However, they need a good result on Tuesday to stay in the qualification race as group leaders Barcelona are six points ahead of them and Juventus have a three-point advantage ahead of this match. Jeremy Mathieu and Daniel Podence picked up injuries in last week's match and won't be able to play against Juventus, while Alan Ruiz is a fitness doubt. Juventus are on a four-game winning streak in all competition, a sequence that started with the 2-1 victory over Sporting in the reverse fixture. Last weekend the Bianconeri secured a good 2-0 away victory at AC Milan in Serie A but they need a similar result in Lisbon to secure qualification from Group D. Alex Sandro and Andrea Barzagli were rested at the weekend so they should return to the starting eleven on Tuesday, while Benedikt Howedes and Mehdi Benatia are injured. Probable line-ups: Sporting: Patricio - Piccini, Coates, Pinto, Coentrao - Carvalho, Battaglia - Martins, Fernandes, Acuna - Doumbia Juventus: Buffon - De Sciglio, Barzagli, Chiellini, Sandro - Pjanic, Matuidi - Cuadrado, Dybala, Costa - Higuain My prediction: Juventus to win 1-0. Here are the odds for the match at Bet365: Sporting win - 4.00 Draw - 3.39 Juventus win - 2.10