Schalke – Sporting

Crucial game for both sides here, as Schalke 04 and Sporting have 2 and 1 points respectively after two rounds and a defeat may well mean elimination from the Champions League.

After a 1-1 draw at Chelsea, Schalke was shocked for a 1-1 home draw by Maribor in the last round and the most surprising fact is that the result was absolutely deserved for the Slovenians – who could have even won that game. Things did not go much better in the Bundesliga either for Schalke, just the 9th place for them, but they did win 3 out of the last 4 matches, including 2-0 against Hertha over the weekend, so form is starting to pick up.

Sporting lost some key players in the summer break and I doubt they will be able to mount a title challenge in Portugal or pass the group stages in the Champions League – their only point so far in UCL was in a 1-1 road draw with Maribor, followed by a 0-1 home defeat to Chelsea. Sporting got its most impressive win of the season on Saturday, defeating Porto 3-1 in the Portugese Cup, at Dragao – surely a morale boosting win, even if the game did not hold such a massive importance.

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Team news & lineups

Schalke will miss a number of important players again – Farfan, Goretzka, Giefer and Kolasinac are out, while Santana and Sam are highly doubtful. Sporting has a full squad to choose from.

Schalke 04: Fahrmann – Uchida, Fuchs, Howedes, Ayhan – Boateng, Aogo, Neustadter – Draxler, Huntelaar, Choupo-Moting

Sporting Lisbon: Rui Patricio – Jefferson, Cedric, Paulo Oliveira, Sarr – Andre Martins, William Carvalho, Joao Mario – Nani Slimani, Carrillo

Schalke is starting to play better and they will always be a scary team to play against in Germany, but with all their squad problems and considering they are still not clicking like they should, they are set to have a tough game. Sporting has a good team and good morale, they are healthy and will surely mount a challenge. The fact that the game is absolutely crucial and nobody affords to lose makes me believe we will have a cagey first half, with every chance for a half time draw to occur. Odds are good for this bet, so my tip is a draw at half time. Prediction: Schalke – Sporting 1-1 (0-0 half time).

Pick: Half time draw
Odds: 2.25 @ Bwin
Stake: 8
Possible profit: 8.75
Event date: 21 October