27 September 2021, 10:23 | 28 August 2021, 15:29
The UEFA Champions League Group C fixture, Borussia Dortmund vs. Sporting CP, kicks off at 20:00 (GMT+1) on Matchday 2, Tuesday, September 28 at the Signal Iduna Park. Referee Srdjan Jovanović (SRB) will be in charge while Uroš Stojković (SRB) and Milan Mihajlović (SRB) will be assisting. Pol van Boekel (NED) will be the Video Assistant Referee.
Preview Borussia Dortmund Champions League, Sep 28, 2021
Preview Borussia Dortmund started their UEFA Champions League campaign with a 2-1 win over Beşiktaş at the Vodafone Arena. Jude Bellingham (20') put the Black & Yellows ahead minutes into the game before Erling Haaland (45+3') doubled the advantage in additional time after the first forty-five. But Dortmund failed to keep the clean sheet, leaving Francisco Montero (90+4') with the opportunity for a consolation goal in stoppage time. The win sits Borussia Dortmund at second place in Group C with 3 points after one game: 1W, 0D, & 0L. Manager Marco Rose would like to complement the victory with another, in a bid to keep up with Ajax at the top of the group standings. Dortmund have eight victories in their last 19 European games on home soil (8W, D5, & L6). The last set of games against a Portuguese outfit was in the 2016/17 edition of the UEFA Champions League (round-of-16), when they defeated Benfica 4-1 on aggregate (0-1A, 4-0H). A 3—5—2 formation is expected from Marco Rose with the attacking duo of Malen and Moukoko, following the unavailability of last season's UEFA Champions League top scorer (10 goals), Erling Haaland. Haaland failed to feature in the 1-0 defeat to Gladbach over the weekend, having been sidelined with muscular problems. Marco Reus remains doubtful with a knee injury, while Mateu Bauzà is expected to return to the group next year. Steffen Tigges, Julian Brandt and Giovanni Reyna are also in doubt for this fixture. The Black & Yellows will face Ajax on Matchday 3, Oct. 19, at the Johan Cruyff Arena.
Preview Sporting CP Champions League, Sep 28, 2021
Preview Sporting CP lost to AFC Ajax, 5-1, at the José Alvalade Stadium on the opening day of the UEFA Champions League. Ajax's Champions League debutant Sébastien Haller (2' & 9') bagged a brace in the first ten minutes of the game, before Paulinho (33') halved the deficit for Sporting CP. Minutes later, Steven Berghuis (39') restored the two-goal advantage before another brace from Haller (51' & 63') condemned Sporting to defeat. The loss sits Sporting at the bottom of Group C with a G.D. of -4 after Matchday 1: 0W, 0D, & 1L. Manager Rúben Amorim will attempt to seize another window of opportunity on Tuesday to pick up a point at Signal Iduna Park. The 36-year-old is expected to utilize the attacking 3—4—3 formation, with the trio consisting of Santos, Paulinho and Sarabia leading the frontline. For this fixture, Pedro Gonçalves and Gonçalo Inácio are in doubt. Sporting CP will face Beşiktaş at the Vodafone Arena on UEFA Champions League Matchday 3, Oct. 19.