Champions League
2025-01-22 - RB Leipzig vs Sporting Lisbon
A Sports Betting Pick by Niko
Football; UEFA Champions League: 7th Round
Red Bull Arena - Leipzig
Wednesday, 22nd January 2025 - kickoff 18:45 CET
RB Leipzig
RB Leipzig's aspirations in the UEFA Champions League were dashed in December following a 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa, eliminating their chances of advancing to the next stage.
RB Leipzig has lost all six Champions League games, so they will be looking to win at least once in their final two games against Sporting Lisbon and Sturm Graz to avoid finishing at rock bottom.
Coach Marco Rose will be looking to give some players a chance to prove themselves, and perhaps it will be good for them to play without pressure.
In the Bundesliga, RB Leipzig has been struggling, failing to win their last two games against VfB Stuttgart (2-1 defeat) and Vfl Bochum (3-3 draw). Next weekend, they have a hugely important game against the Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen, so this match is important for preparing well and boosting their confidence.
Regarding team news, forward Yussuf Poulsen has returned to the bench after recovering from a strain, while defender Castello Lukeba remains unavailable due to a thigh injury.
Sporting Lisbon
Sporting Lisbon has had a mixed run in the UEFA Champions League, with a record of three wins, one draw, and two losses in their last six matches.
Their last two games ended in a convincing 1-5 defeat to Arsenal and a 2-1 defeat to Club Bruges, but they still have chances to progress if they win at least once in their final two games against RB Leipzig and Bologna.
Sporting Lisbon has shown resilience in their domestic competition, aiming to capitalize on RB Leipzig's recent struggles. They are unbeaten in five games in the Portuguese championship (three wins, two draws), most recently beating Rio Ave 0-3 last weekend.
The team is expected to field a strong lineup, with key players like Viktor Gyökeres and Francisco Trincão leading the attack.
The Betting Verdict
Given RB Leipzig's recent form and elimination from the UEFA Champions League, Sporting Lisbon enters this match as the slight favourite.
However, with both teams having offensive capabilities, we should expect a high-scoring game.
I lean a bit towards the valuable odds for RB Leipzig’s win, but I think backing over 2.5 goals is the best bet for this match.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
RB Leipzig 2-1 Sporting Lisbon
FIXED ODDS BETTING TIP :
Take over 2.5 goals at odds of 1.62 at Cloudbet
