Sporting CP vs Man City: Champions League team news and prediction

PSG's meeting with Real Madrid may be the glamour tie as the Champions League returns, but Manchester City will need to be at their best if they are to secure a first leg advantage when they take on Sporting CP. 

Ahead of tonight's game in Lisbon, we provide all the necessary pre-match information, including where to watch the first leg tie, team news and probable XIs... 

When is kick off? 

Tuesday 15th February, 20:00 GMT 

Where is the match? 

Jose Alvalade Stadium, Lisbon (Portugal) 

What TV channel is it on? 

BT Sport 3 

Route to the last-16 

Defeats to Ajax and Borussia Dortmund in their opening two group stage games suggested that Sporting would struggle to progress from Group C. However, they won their double header against Besiktas and then defeated Borussia Dortmund 3-1 in the reverse game to ensure that they'd finish second behind Ajax on account of their better head-to-head record against Dortmund. Indeed, they earned nine points from their six games to set up a last-16 meeting with Manchester City. 

City topped Group A, but they were run close by PSG, who finished just a point behind Pep Guardiola's side. PSG earned a 2-0 win over Manchester City in Paris and they saw out their group stage campaign with a 2-1 defeat at RB Leipzig as they picked up 12 points from their six games. Both defeats came on the road, though their sole victory from three was a resounding 5-1 thumping of Club Bruges, while defeat to RB Leipzig came after they'd already wrapped up top spot. 

Team news 

Sporting's main concern comes in the potential absence of star man Pote. The Portugal international is a doubt having missed the feisty 2-2 draw with title rivals FC Porto, a match in which Sebastian Coates, Joao Palhinha and Bruno Tabata all received their marching orders. Pedro Porro, who is on loan from Manchester City, is eligible to play against his parent club, which is a boost for the Portuguese powerhouse. 

Jack Grealish and Gabriel Jesus miss out due to injury and that should see Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez flank Phil Foden on the frontline. Kyle Walker is suspended after his dismissal in City's loss in Germany in December, and Pep Guardiola must decide whether to start Joao Cancelo at right-back and use Oleksandr Zinchenko at left-back, or bring John Stones into the side. 

Probable XIs 

Sporting CP (3421): Adan; Inacio, Coates, Feddal; Porro, Nunes, Palhinha, Reis; Santos, Sarabia; Paulinho 

Man City (433): Ederson; Cancelo, Dias, Laporte, Zinchenko; Silva, Rodri, De Bruyne; Mahrez, Foden, Sterling

Key Battle: Pedro Porro vs Joao Cancelo

"No, I never spoke to Pep Guardiola. I don't think he even knows they hired me!" Pedro Porro joked last summer, but he'll be able to showcase his quality to his parent club when Sporting take on Manchester City. While on loan from City, Porro is available to face the Premier League leaders and having sat out the 2-2 draw with FC Porto owing to a ban, the Spaniard will be fit and raring to go on home turf.

Joining from Girona in 2019, Porro has enjoyed notable loan stints with Real Valladolid and Sporting CP, impressing so much that he earned his first Spain cap last year. City may come to regret allowing him the leave for Portugal with a lowly £7m option to buy. Joao Cancelo is one who has blossomed into one of the best in the world under the watchful eye of Pep Guardiola and supporters may have hoped Porro would follow the same path.

Tipped to move across to right-back, it may be that fans don't see a direct battle between the two excellent full-backs, but many may have seen Porro's development in Lisbon and hoped he'd return to Manchester to compete with Cancelo for a spot in the team.

Score Prediction: Sporting CP 1-2 Man City