Champions League - Sporting vs. Dortmund: Two Teams, One Wild Night Ahead

We’ve all seen it happen. A great team loses its leader, and suddenly, they don’t know who they are anymore. That’s Sporting Lisbon after Ruben Amorim left for Manchester United. It’s like a band losing its lead singer—still making music, but something just feels... off.

Then there’s Dortmund. If Sporting are lost, Dortmund are that kid who forgets to study but still manages to pass the test. Niko Kovac is their new coach, and his first Bundesliga game? A total mess—losing 2-1 to Stuttgart. Not exactly confidence-boosting before a big Champions League match. 

Sporting started strong in the group stage, earning 10 points from four games and looking like they could go far. Then things fell apart. Arsenal, Club Brugge, and RB Leipzig all beat them, and by the time they faced Bologna, Sporting were barely holding on. They only made it through on goal difference.

Still, their coach Rui Borges has kept them somewhat steady. They haven’t lost in their last seven home games, though their last match was a heartbreaking draw with Porto—conceding in the 94th minute. That kind of last-second gut punch can mess with a team’s confidence. Will they recover in time for Dortmund?

Dortmund’s biggest issue? Defense. They haven’t kept a clean sheet in 13 straight games. But their attack? A different story. They scored 22 goals in the group stage, proving they can put the ball in the net.

The player to watch? Serhou Guirassy. He scored nine goals in the group stage, and if he gets one more, he’ll join stars like Robert Lewandowski and Erling Haaland in an elite club of Dortmund players with 10+ goals in a single Champions League season.

The problem is whether Niko Kovac can fix their defense. So far? Not looking good. They collapsed against Stuttgart, and if they play that poorly in Lisbon, even Sporting’s shaky attack could take advantage.

Sporting have the home advantage, which helps. But they’re also unpredictable—capable of brilliance or disaster. Dortmund can score easily but can’t defend.

So what happens when you mix two chaotic teams?

A draw. Sporting will likely control possession, Dortmund will find a way to score against the flow of play, and we’ll all be left wondering if either of them can actually go far in the Champions League.

One player who could change everything? Viktor Gyokeres. He’s scored 34 goals in 34 games this season but is coming off an injury. If he’s even 80% fit, he could give Dortmund a really tough time.

One thing’s for sure: this match is going to be exciting. Maybe not great football, but definitely fun to watch.