Sporting and Atalanta, old acquaintances, will open the Round of 16 of the Europa League today (8.45 PM EAT) in Lisbon at the José Alvalade Stadium. The Lions and the Goddess already faced each other last year and played in the group stage, when the Italian team was better. They were victorious in the Portuguese capital 2-1, while in Bergamo there was no winner – 1-1.Both teams are in different moods for the Europa League doubleheader. Sporting are the leaders of the Primeira, with a great chance of being crowned domestic title winners after champions Benfica’s disaster at Porto on Sunday night. On the other hand, Gian Piero Gasperini’s team can still reach the Champions League via Serie A, but lost a step toward fourth place after two consecutive defeats, in Milan against Inter (0-4) and at home on Sunday against a direct rival for a place in the Euro elite, the soaring Bologna led masterfully from the bench by Thiago Motta.##EDITORS_CHOICE##Viktor Gyokeres is the biggest star of Rubem Amorim’s team. Chelsea and Arsenal want him in the upcoming transfer window. The Swede of Hungarian origin was paid a mere €20,000,000 to Coventry, and his brilliant performances in the green and white shirt must have quadrupled his price. The London giants don’t spare the money to give him their “no.9″ shirt, so Sporting will have to struggle to keep a great investment from the EFL Championship.Their daughters are besties but there is no friends when on the battlefieldIncluding the draw with AC Milan at San Siro, Atalanta have recorded three matches without defeat. As the leader of the group, they directly qualified for the round of 16 of the Europa League, while Sporting easily eliminated the Swiss champion Young Boys after a 3-1 victory in Bern and a routine 1-1 draw in front of their fans.The stadium is sold out, there will be more than 50,000 fans, and the majority will be wholeheartedly with the team of Ruben Amorim, the young expert who has revived the Lions and who could take over one of the greats of European football soon (there are vacant coaching positions in Bayern, Liverpool and Barcelona).Sporting cannot count on the injured Adan, Goncalo Inacio and one of the best players, winger Pedro Goncalves. In his statement before this match, Amorim said that the priority of his club is Primeira, but the young striker will attack the team from Bergamo with the strongest possible squad.Sporting vs. Atalanta presents an interesting tactical match-up due to both Rúben Amorim and Gian Piero Gasperini usually opting for variations of a 3-4-3 system.Amorim opts for a classic nine flanked by two wingers, while Gasperini prefers a ten behind two strikers. 🇵🇹🇮🇹#UEL pic.twitter.com/hVQs8PBlEn— The Coaches’ Voice (@CoachesVoice) March 6, 2024 The experienced Paulinho will join Gyokeres up front, while the former player of Braga and Barcelona Trincao will threaten from the wing.”Atalanta is a team that plays strongly with a lot of duels. There are many players who change positions. We have to be smart to see each person off. It is a team with a different physical capacity than the ones we found in Portugal, a very powerful team. We already had two games with Atalanta. I think we adapted better in the second game, but I feel we are more ready at this moment”, said Amorim.Obiettivo quarti di finale, ep. 1 🎬First leg in Lisbon! 🔥#SportingAtalanta #UEL #GoAtalantaGo ⚫️🔵 pic.twitter.com/NVuet4RQ6B— Atalanta B.C. (@Atalanta_BC) March 6, 2024 Atalanta is the only team this season to have won at the Jose Alvalade Stadium. The young expert says that he has no desire for an additional motive, for revenge.”No, Sporting players simply want to win. I think that Sporting is the team that plays better than before. As a coach, I think that right now, since I’ve been here, we are the most complete team”, said Amorim.Gasperini has a complete squad for the visit to Lisbon. The experienced specialist is likely to make a few changes from the team that was beaten at home to Bologna at the weekend. Striker Gianluca Scamacca could get a place ahead of this season’s awakened Belgian Charles de Ketelaere, who is on loan in the neighborhood from AC Milan, but with the right to buy him off fully.Juan Musso should replace Marco Carnesecchi in goal, while the Swede Isak Hien is ahead of the Albanian Berat Djimsiti. Emil Holm will return as a right-back, while Ederson will start the match and take a place in the midfield.UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE1/8 finals – first legWednesday20:45: (2.25) Sporting (3.45) Atalanta (3.15)Thursday20:45: (2.20) Roma (3.45) Brighton (3.25)20:45: (9.00) Qarabag (5.00) Leverkusen (1.40)20:45: (3.90) Sparta Praha (3.50) Liverpool (1.95)23:00: (2.00) Olympique Marseille (3.50) Villareal (3.80)23:00: (2.60) Freiburg (3.40) West Ham (2.85)23:00: (1.48) AC Milan (4.30) Slavia Praha (7.00)23:00: (1.60) Benfica (4.00) Rangers (5.70)***odds are subject to change***
