Frank Christian
Manchester City aims to bounce back from recent defeats as they face Sporting CP in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday. This match could set the stage for an upcoming Premier League matchup between managers Ruben Amorim and Pep Guardiola.
This will be Amorim’s last game in charge of Sporting at Estadio Jose Alvalade, as he is set to join Manchester United after the weekend’s encounter against his former club, Braga.
When United visits the Etihad Stadium on December 15, Amorim will become the fifth manager from the Red Devils to challenge Guardiola in a Manchester derby, following the likes of Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Ralf Rangnick, and Erik ten Hag.
Whether a true rivalry develops between Guardiola and Amorim will depend on if Guardiola decides to renew his contract, which is up at the end of this season. Historically, he has signed extensions during the November international break, which begins next week, indicating a decision may come soon.
Guardiola’s immediate concern is his injury-plagued squad, which lost 2-1 to Tottenham in the Carabao Cup and suffered the same fate against Bournemouth in the Premier League—City’s first league loss since last September.
Sporting CP vs. Manchester City lineups, confirmed starting 11, team news
Sporting has also been strong this season, remaining unbeaten in the Champions League with seven points from three matches. Amorim is hopeful to maintain this unbeaten streak, with most players fit to play.
Young defender Eduardo Quaresma has returned from injury and will be available from the bench, while Nuno Santos remains out due to a long-term knee injury.
All eyes will be on Swedish striker Viktor Gyokeres, who boasts an impressive tally of 20 goals in just 16 games, setting up an exciting encounter with Erling Haaland.
Sporting CP (3-4-3, left to right): Israel (GK) — Reis, Diomande, Debast — Quenda, Morita, Hjulmand, Araujo — Trincao, Gyokeres, Goncalves
Injured: Santos
Suspended: None
Haaland scored twice in the last Champions League game against Sparta Prague but has struggled recently, managing just one goal in his last five Premier League matches, partly due to injuries affecting key players like Kevin De Bruyne, who did not play against Bournemouth and remains on the bench.
Jeremy Doku is returning from injury, having made a brief appearance last weekend, while Savinho gets the starting nod in Lisbon.
Defensive injuries have also affected Guardiola’s line-up, with Ruben Dias (muscular) and John Stones (foot) unavailable, leading to a full debut for Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, who just turned 19.
Kyle Walker managed to play a full match against Bournemouth despite limited training and will now be replaced by Rico Lewis at right-back.
Man City (3-4-3, left to right): Ederson (GK) — Lewis, Akanji, Ake, Gvardiol — Silva, O’Riley, Nunes — Foden, Haaland, Doku
Injured: Dias, Stones, Grealish, Rodri, Bobb
Suspended: None
Sporting CP vs. Manchester City live stream, TV channel
Here’s where you can watch the Champions League clash in various regions:
| Region | TV | Streaming |
| USA | — | Paramount+, ViX |
| Canada | — | DAZN |
| UK | TNT Sports 1 | discovery+ |
| Australia | — | Stan Sport |
| India | Sony Ten 1 | Sony LIV, JioTV |
