Preview:Napoli vs Sporting Lisbon - prediction, team news, lineups

Aiming to bounce back from their calamitous return to the Champions League, Napoli will welcome Sporting Lisbon to Stadio Maradona on Wednesday.

The champions of Italy host their Portuguese counterparts, having been reduced to 10 men before tamely losing their opener; by contrast, Sporting got off to a flying start.

Match preview

When Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo was dismissed for a foul on Erling Haaland, just 20 minutes into the Partenopei's Champions League comeback, any chance of beating Manchester City seemed to shrink in an instant.

Despite Sergej Milinkovic-Savic making several saves to keep the scores level, City eventually broke through, as Haaland became the fastest man to reach 50 goals in the history of Europe's top competition.

Forced onto the back foot, Napoli ultimately lost 2-0 while registering only one shot, as they succumbed to a first defeat of the season.

After winning their second Serie A title in under three years - and first under head coach Antonio Conte - the Scudetto holders had made a flawless start to 2025-26, but they have now lost two of their last three outings.

Soon after beating Pisa 3-2 back in Naples, Conte's men were recently conquered again, losing 2-1 to AC Milan at San Siro despite Kevin De Bruyne's penalty getting them back in the contest.

Still, Napoli have lost just four of 30 home fixtures in the Champions League to date, so they will expect to resume winning ways on Wednesday.

Though their previous meetings with Sporting both finished goalless, the Italian side progressed from a two-legged UEFA Cup tie on penalties; 36 years on, the pair will finally meet again in Campania.

That 1989 clash in Naples remains Sporting's sole clean sheet anywhere in Italy, where they have yet to win a competitive game, losing on 13 of 17 previous visits.

Nonetheless, this time the Lions will travel with a three-point lead over their hosts in the league table, after winning their first fixture 4-1.

Earlier this month, Francisco Trincao bagged a brace against Champions League debutants Kairat, as Sporting strolled to victory at Estadio Alvalade.

Now in his first full season as head coach, Rui Borges has certainly started well, with six wins from seven in the Primeira Liga - including Saturday's success against Lisbon neighbours Estoril.

An early Luis Suarez strike was enough for Sporting to earn maximum points and move above old foes Benfica in the standings, inching up to the shoulder of early leaders Porto.

So far, the Portuguese champions have conceded just four league goals and have scored in each of their last eight games across all competitions.

But their Champions League fixture list will soon pit them against Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich and Juventus, meaning they cannot afford to step off the gas.

If they are aiming for an improbable top-eight finish - thereby avoiding the playoffs - Sporting may need to take at least one point home on Wednesday.

Napoli Champions League form:

Napoli form (all competitions):

W W W L W L

Sporting Lisbon Champions League form:

Sporting Lisbon form (all competitions):

W L W W W W

Team News

Napoli were without first-choice defenders Amir Rrahmani, Mathias Olivera, Leonardo Spinazzola and Alessandro Buongiorno against Milan - leaving them shorthanded at the back - and Conte's woes could be even worse in midweek.

Luca Marianucci, who started at San Siro, is not on the club's Champions League squad list, while Di Lorenzo must serve a suspension for his red card in Manchester. Only Spinazzola and Olivera are likely to return, and they may have to feature in a makeshift back four.

Furthermore, long-term absentee Romelu Lukaku will not be back in action for several weeks, so Lorenzo Lucca and Rasmus Hojlund are vying for one place up front.

Meanwhile, Sporting cannot count on Daniel Braganca and Nuno Santos, but goalkeeper Rui Silva returned from an injury layoff on Saturday.

Luis Suarez scored four times for Colombia earlier this month - having topped Spain's Segunda Division goal charts last season - and after making a bright start to life in Lisbon he will lead the Lions' attack.

Once again, Chelsea-bound winger Geovany Quenda and Portugal pair Pote Goncalves and Trincao should support him in the final third.

Napoli possible starting lineup:

Milinkovic-Savic; Spinazzola, Beukema, Jesus, Olivera; Lobotka; Politano, Anguissa, De Bruyne, McTominay; Hojlund

Sporting Lisbon possible starting lineup:

Silva; Vagiannidis, Inacio, Debast, Araujo; Hjulmand, Kochorashvili; Quenda, Trincao, Goncalves; Suarez

We say: Napoli 1-1 Sporting Lisbon

As Napoli have been hit by defensive injuries and are finally showing signs of frailty, Sporting could hold out for a draw from their second Champions League fixture.

The visitors' fluent attack can put the Partenopei's makeshift back four under pressure, so there may be more frustration for Conte and co.

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