Sporting CP vs Kairat

Estádio José Alvalade will provide the stage as Sporting CP welcome Kairat Almaty for a UEFA Champions League league-phase encounter that marks the Kazakh club’s first-ever meeting with Portuguese opposition. The Lions are making their 12th appearance in the Champions League proper and a fourth in five seasons and remain determined to end their recent struggles in the competition. This will be their third clash against a team from Kazakhstan in European competition. Their only previous experience came against Astana in the UEFA Europa League Round of 32 back in 2017-18, when they earned a 3-1 win in the first leg before drawing 3-3 in the return fixture to progress comfortably. That tie underlines their ability to deal with unfamiliar opponents, though their more recent Champions League form tells a different story. Indeed, Sporting have endured a difficult run on Europe’s biggest stage. They have failed to win any of their last six Champions League matches (D2 L4), their longest winless streak in the competition when excluding qualifiers. That said, Sporting’s home record in Europe has not been flawless. They have lost two of their last nine matches at Alvalade across all European competitions (W4 D3), but worryingly both defeats have come in their last three outings. Fortunately, a bright record on the opening day can provide some optimism ahead of Thursday’s clash. The Lisbon club have won their Matchday 1 fixture in three of their last four Champions League campaigns (L1), kicking off 2024/25 with a 2-0 home victory against LOSC Lille. While the Portuguese outfit remain favourites, they cannot afford complacency. A 4—2—3—1 formation with a lesser-known Luis Suárez is expected.

Kairat Almaty, meanwhile, step into new territory as they prepare to face Portuguese opposition for the very first time. The last time they encountered a side from a country they had not previously faced, they managed to edge past Finnish champions KuPS 3-2 on aggregate in Champions League qualifying earlier this season. That victory will give them confidence, but the scale of the challenge that lies ahead is considerably greater. Their broader European record highlights the difficulties they may face. Kairat have won just three of their last 16 games in continental competition (D5 L8), failing to score in eight of those matches. Such inconsistency, particularly in front of goal, could prove costly against a Sporting side that tends to be far more assured on their own turf. Dastan Satpaev is poised to lead the attack when manager Rafael Urazbakhtin deploys the 4—2—3—1 formation.