Sporting Lisbon vs. Borussia Dortmund preview: Team news and predicted lineups

Mike Tullberg’s time at the helm of Borussia Dortmund is over after the interim head coach was replaced by Niko Kovac last week as the former Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg manager takes over until 2026. 

The 53-year-old didn’t exactly make the start he would have dreamt of on the weekend – a narrow 2-1 defeat to a rather physical, well-drilled and dogged VfB Stuttgart. The Swabians needed no invitation to capitalise on a misfiring BVB who racked up a superior xG despite the loss. 

Sporting Lisbon: Team News

Anyhow, attentions must turn to Europe ahead of Tuesday night's UEFA Champions League play-off clash with Sporting Lisbon. The green and white stripes from the Portuguese capital currently sit in first-place domestically with a 4-point lead over Benfica after 21 rounds. 

However, the departure of Ruben Amorim slightly unsettled their top-eight push in Europe’s premier competition. Three consecutive defeats to Arsenal, Brugge and RB Leipzig undone their strong start leaving new boss Rui Borges in a tricky position. 

Home soil will undoubtedly provide some comfort but Morten Hjulmand’s yellow card suspension adds another name to a list of growing absentees including Pedro Goncalves (muscle), Nuno Santos (ACL) and Joao Simoes.

There may even be some doubts surrounding the fitness of top-scorer Viktor Gyokeres who only came off the bench against Porto on Friday night. 

Borussia Dortmund: Team News

As for Die Schwarzgelben, Felix Nmecha (knee) remains the only major absentee having picked up the injury against Werder Bremen in January. It has since been announced that Ramy Bensebaini did not travel to Lisbon with a suspected muscle strain. 

New loanee signing Carney Chukwuemeka was a minor doubt as he sustained a knock which sidelined him before the Stuttgart game. An update on the squad emerged this afternoon with details of the players who travelled to the Portugese capital and the 21-year-old Englishman was listed. 

Nico Schlotterbeck, who missed last weekend’s Bundesliga game through suspension, is expected to start alongside Yan Couto, Emre Can and Julian Ryerson. Midfield continues to struggle for form, but Kovac may persist with Marcel Sabitzer, Pascal Gross and Julian Brandt. 

There ought to be an abundance of pace in the attacking third with Maximilian Beier and Jamie Gittens manning the flanks. Karim Adeyemi is also in contention to start having been praised by Kovac on arrival, stating when the 23-year-old “uses his speed he is a weapon for us”. 

Meanwhile, Serhou Guirassy could write himself into the club's history books if he can score – another goal would take him level with ex-BVB strikers Robert Lewandowski and Erling Haaland who also netted 10 times for the Black and Yellow’s in one UCL campaign. 

Click here to see our predicted Sporting vs. Borussia Dortmund lineups.