Europa League: Sporting vs Atalanta Preview, Odds
Primeira Liga Leaders Host Atalanta
First Europa League Meeting Between the Sides
Sporting and Atalanta haven’t met for over 35 years, but that’ll change come Thursday. Primeira Liga leaders Sporting host Atalanta in the second group stage game of the Europa League. Both teams enter this match in good form. Sporting are on a four-game winning streak in all competitions, while Atalanta have kept four straight clean sheets. In our Sporting vs Atalanta preview, we’ll look at the latest odds and team news.
âš½ Sporting CP vs Atalanta âš½
Date & Time:
Location: Estadio Jose Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal
Head-to-Head:
Sporting vs Atalanta previews note that these sides haven’t met since the 1987-88 Cup Winners’ Cup. In that season’s quarterfinals, Atalanta picked up a 2-0 home win and drew 1-1 in Lisbon. They also met in the 1963-64 Cup Winners’ Cup playoff round, in which Sporting advanced in extra time. Atalanta won their home leg 2-0 but lost 3-1 in Lisbon, and Sporting won 3-1 in extra time.
Sporting Eke Out Victory
On Saturday, Sporting went on the road to newly promoted Farense. Farense defender Goncalo Silva intentionally blocked the ball with his hand in the box and was dismissed within 20 minutes. Sporting’s Swedish striker Viktor Gyokeres stepped up and converted the ensuing penalty. Less than fifteen minutes later, Pedro Goncalves doubled Sporting’s lead with a first-time strike from outside the area.
However, ten-man Farense managed to get a goal back as Mattheus Oliveira, who was once on the books at Sporting, scored a free kick before halftime. Oliveira finished another free kick in the 55th minute to level the match. Marcus Edwards won a late penalty for Sporting, and Gyokeres converted once again to give the visitors a 3-2 win. The win was Sporting’s fourth straight, in all competitions. A look at the Matchday 1 Europa League scores shows that Sporting defeated Sturm Graz 2-1 as Gyokeres and Ousmane Diomande got on the scoresheet.
Sporting have gotten off to an excellent start this season and currently lead the Primeira Liga, with a 6-1-0 record. Gyokeres and Paulinho have both scored five league goals already and could both be in the running for the Golden Boot. Sporting knocked out Arsenal in last season’s round of 16 and weren’t far away from the Europa League final 2023. Heading into this match, Sporting has lost just one of their last nine Europa League group-stage games.
Atalanta’s Defense Steps Up
Atalanta has played eight matches this season, in all competitions, and has already kept six shutouts. Over the weekend, they managed to hold Juventus to a scoreless draw in Bergamo. Luis Muriel very nearly put Atalanta ahead on a free kick, but Wojciech Szczesny made an incredible save to keep things level.
Our Sporting vs Atalanta preview notes that all of the five goals Atalanta have conceded this season have come on the road. Away from home, they have put up a 2-2 record with six goals scored and five conceded. In their Europa League opener, Atalanta took on Polish champions Raków Częstochowa and won 2-0. Charles de Ketelaere and Ederson got on the scoresheet for La Dea.
In seven previous Europa League group-stage games, Atalanta have never lost. Their last appearance in the tournament was in 2017-18, when they finished first in a group with Lyon, Everton, and Apollon Limassol. Five Atalanta players have scored twice this season: Teun Koopmeiners, Ademola Lookman, Gianluca Scamacca, De Ketelaere, and Ederson. However, Scamacca is out for the time being.
Match Analysis & Odds
The winner of Sporting vs. Atalanta will go on top of the Group D Europa League table. Pacy Sporting defender Jeremiah St. Juste is out for the match, but the hosts haven’t lost at the Estadio Jose Alvalade since February. Sporting are +125 moneyline favorites here, and Sporting pk, -0.5 comes in at -110 odds. Heading into this match, they’ve scored at least twice in each of their last four games.
Atalanta pk, +0.5 displays -120 odds as they go for their fifth straight clean sheet. Gian Piero Gasperini’s side are +225 underdogs, but they certainly can pick up all three points here. However, Sporting is incredibly tough to beat at home and managed to draw there vs. Juventus and Arsenal last season. It’ll take a huge effort for Atalanta to grab three points.
Bettors can also take a draw at +255 odds and it wouldn’t be a bad result for either side. Under 2.5 goals also sit at -120 odds but it’s also possible this turns into a shootout.
For Europa League betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
