Image source: Getty Images
2025-26 UEFA Champions League
Quarterfinal, first leg
Sporting CP v Arsenal
Jose Alvalade Stadium
Tuesday 7 April, 19:00
Sporting CP and Arsenal will be geared for the first leg of a UEFA Champions League quarterfinal tie, set for the Jose Alvalade Stadium in Benfica on the evening of Tuesday 7 April, kick-off at 19:00.
Sporting made one of the great comebacks in European football history to reach this stage of the competition, recovering from a 0-3 deficit against Norway’s Bodø/Glimt by claiming a stunning 5-0 (after extra time) home win in the previous round.
Keeping up that kind of momentum is exactly what winger Francisco Trincao hopes for the visit of Arsenal: "We believed in it [the comeback] from the very first minute; the manager made us believe in it too. Everyone believed, and the fans also gave us that energy throughout the match. As time went on, we realised we were capable of it and saw it through to the end. We’ve achieved something historic."
Image source: Alamy Stock Photo
Arsenal earned their place in the quarters with a 3-1 aggregate triumph over Bayer Leverkusen in the previous round, underpinned by a 2-0 home win in which Eberechi Eze and Declan Rice scored goals.
Rice, who has been fundamental to the Gunners’ excellent season thus far, knows that the challenge only gets tougher from here: "We're playing against the best teams now, getting down to the business end of the competition, and it's going to be really tough. We expect a team that's going to come at us and be really attacking, so we'll be ready for whatever's thrown at us."
Sporting come into the match on the back of a 4-2 win over Santa Clara this past weekend, keeping up their chase of leaders Porto in the Liga Portugal. They are hoping winger Luis Guilherme recovers from an ankle sprain.
Arsenal suffered a shock 2-1 loss to second-tier Southampton in the quarterfinals of the FA Cup this past weekend – ending their hopes of a treble of trophies this season. The Gunners will be hoping that Gabriel, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice are all fit for the trip to Portugal.
Image source: Getty Images
In head-to-head stats, Sporting and Arsenal have met seven times in European competition (including matches in the Fairs Cup way back in 1969-70). The Gunners have claimed three wins compared to one for the Lions, while three games have been drawn.
The teams last met in the league phase of last season’s Champions League, with Arsenal claiming a thumping 5-1 home win.
Head-to-head stats, Sporting CP v Arsenal
Matches played 7
Sporting wins 1
Arsenal wins 3
Draws 3
UEFA Champions League fixtures
Tuesday 7 April
19:00: Real Madrid v Bayern Munich
19:00: Sporting CP v Arsenal
Wednesday 8 April
19:00: Barcelona v Atletico Madrid
19:00: PSG v Liverpool
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