The UEFA Champions League group stage is rolling this Tuesday, and we’ve got a matchup to settle between two teams on track to qualify for the knockout stages automatically. Bayern Munich, one of the favorites to take home the hardware, will host a scrappy Sporting CP side.
Bayern are -450 favorites to win and +600 to draw at DraftKings Sportsbook, while Sporting is +1000 on the Moneyline. Let’s dig into a prediction and pick for this Bayern Munich vs. Sporting Lisbon match.
Bayern Munich vs. Sporting Lisbon prediction, pick
Bayern’s incredible run of form ended in the last Champions League match against Arsenal. They started their season with 16 straight wins in competitive matches and were unbeaten in 18 before they faced Arsenal. That 3-1 defeat loosened Munich’s grip on the top of the UCL standings, making this contest against Sporting Lisbon all the more critical.
Lisbon’s squad has been playing well. One of the dominant sides in Portugal, they’re taking care of business in their domestic league while handling some good UCL competition. Bayern are far and away the biggest test they’ve faced so far, and it’s fascinating to see if they can rise to the occasion or not.
If Bayern are to prevail, it’ll come from strong defense and an incredible attacking trio. Michael Olise, Luis Diaz, and Harry Kane have formed one of the strongest attacking groups in the world during this season. If they’re going to take care of business against Sporting, it’ll mean those three getting involved.
Sporting’s success also comes from the back as they’ve allowed just seven goals in 13 domestic contests and only five across five UCL contests. That defense will have to be as strong as ever against this prolific Bayern attack. The injury sheet creates added pressure; two of their biggest attacking threats, Pedro Goncalves and Francisco Trincão, did not make the trip to Bayern for this contest.
If fully healthy, Sporting stood a chance of pulling the upset. Without their attacking power, they’re dead in the water.
