Sporting have been in devastating form at the start of the season, winning each of their five league matches in some style. Although the fixture calendar has largely been kind to them so far this season – with the notable exception of a home match against Porto – they have not been stretched, scoring 19 goals and conceding only two.

Generating big numbers in terms of scoring chances and giving up very little at the other end of the field. Created at least 2.8xG for in each game they have played and have only given up more than 0.5xG once. These are healthy numbers that will result in a lot of wins.

Lille come into this game having lost all of their last three matches, including a couple of away trips. Beaten by a modest Slavia Prague side 2-1 away from home in the play-off round and then shocked 1-0 by newly promoted Saint-Etienne in Ligue 1 at the weekend. These losses sandwiched a 3-1 reverse at home against PSG.
Hosts have significantly more Champions League experience in their ranks, with Lille’s last venture into the competition three years ago. The comfort with the atmosphere should help the home side.

Lille’s right wing-back has been one of their main attacking threats in the early weeks of the season. Of the players who are likely to start this match, none will have had more efforts on goal than the 22-year-old, who has chanced his luck six times in Ligue 1 this season.

Has had at least one effort on goal in four of the last five matches he has started, including both legs of the Champions League play-off against Slavia Prague. Had a couple of shots in the Czech capital.
These numbers are no flash in the pan. Last season, he had 1.25 shots per 90 in Ligue 1, suggesting that the figures he is producing are repeatable.

Likely to be especially keen to impress back on Portuguese soil. The Portugal U21 international kicked off his career with Estoril before moving to Lille in 2023, so this will be a big occasion for him personally. He was used as a full-back there and failed to manage a shot in either of his league matches against Sporting.

Sporting have been extremely attacking this season and while Viktor Gyokeres has grabbed many of the headlines, Pote has been almost as active when it comes to getting shots away at home.

The attacker has an incredible 5.11 shots per 90 in the Portuguese Liga, mustering at least two efforts in every single game that he has started. His low point was two shots (neither of which were on target) against Porto on August 31.

Coming off a match against Arouca at the weekend in which he had seven shots. It was the second time already this season that he has accumulated such numbers in a single match for Ruben Amorim’s side.

Last season in Europe, albeit the Europa League, he had more shots than Gyokeres. He had 2.83 per 90. He was often used through the middle then, now he has established himself as a starter on the left wing, putting him in better position to get shots away more often.

Gyokeres has been distinguished by his incredible rate of goal production for Sporting CP this season, but he has also been prolific when it comes to giving away free kicks, too.

The 26-year-old has committed seven fouls in Portugal’s top-flight this season at the rate of 1.4 per 90. This is the highest absolute number among Sporting players while the fact that he has 24 foul involvements in total highlights how much his game is based around physical duels. Against a stronger opponent, expect the foul figures to even up.

He has committed at least one foul in each of his last four games for Sporting, including two against Porto, who are the opponents he has face that will most closely resemble Lille in terms of quality.

Gave up at least one foul in six of the nine European matches he was involved in last season.

Has played every minute for Sporting this season, suggesting he should play the vast majority, if not all, of this game.

Tiago Santos has been relatively stingy when it comes to giving away free-kicks so far this season, with the wing-back having committed only three fouls in the opening four Ligue 1 matches of the season. This is not his habit, however. Last season, he gave up 1.44 fouls per 90.

Will find himself up against Geny Catamo, who will play an identical role for Sporting CP and is a specialist at winning fouls. He has picked up nine in 350 minutes (2.31 per 90) in Portugal this season and ranks behind only Gyokeres and Francisco Trincao when it comes to winning fouls for his side this season.

Catamo is likely to see a good deal of the ball. Aside from the starting centre-backs, only two players have touched it more than the Mozambiquan, who does most of his work in the middle and attacking thirds. He is set to put himself into positions where he will invite fouls.
Tiago Santos has a tendency to get caught in front of the ball, and being in these positions will only increase the likelihood that he gives up a foul.

It’s difficult to see Gyokeres not having a big impact on any match he plays such is his attacking form at present, with the striker having scored at a rate of 1.6 goals per 90 domestically for Sporting this season. Outside of Erling Haaland, he is unquestionably Europe’s form striker.

When penalty kicks are included, he has managed at least two shots on target in six of the seven competitive matches that he has played for both club and country. He has mustered at least three shots on target on four occasions already among these games.

Lille have been sound at limiting their opponents’ number of shots on target this season (3.5 per match on average), but they have not come up against a centre-forward who plays a pure No.9 role as well as Gyokeres. He will give the centre-backs a very different problem than they are used to facing.

Sporting’s firepower is clear going into this game. They have scored 19 times in five matches, which is an average of close to four per game. With at least 2.8xG generated per match so far this season, Lille will do well to keep their forward line quiet.

Visitors’ defence is not especially strong. Lille have conceded goals in three successive matches and against PSG – the most comparable opponent to Sporting that they have faced this season – they gave up 2.6xGA.

LOSC have, however, got significant firepower open to them, most notably in the form of Canada international Jonathan David and winger Edon Zhegrova. Friday’s match against Saint-Etienne was the first time they have been shutout in any competitive match this season, having scored in their previous seven. David and key creative force Angel Gomes were both benched for that encounter in order to keep them fresh for this game, so they should have plenty of energy around their forward line in this game.

A battle is likely to rage down the Sporting left between Catamo and Tiago Santos that could see tit-for-tat fouls, with both these players wanting to play in the same way and impose their style upon the other.

Catamo may only have two fouls domestically to his credit this season, but he has not have faced a wing-back rival in the same class as the Portuguese he will go head-to-head with in this game. In Sporting’s most testing match to date this season, Porto played Martim Fernandes as a right-back, and in any case, this was one of the games that Catamo gave up a free kick.

Tiago Santos is Lille’s leading foul winner this season, which underscores his attacking qualities and desire to test his opposite number. He has won 2.5 fouls per 90, which shows how difficult a player he is to legally pin down.

The Lille wing-back has more touches in the opposition’s penalty box than any of their other players this season, so Catamo is likely to have to do some extensive defensive work, increasing the chances he gives away a free kick.