Athletic Club vs Sporting

The San Mamés will be a cauldron of nerves and noise tonight, Wednesday, January 28, 2026, as Athletic Club faces Sporting CP in a "do-or-die" final league phase fixture. Kick-off is set for 20:00 GMT (21:00 local / 15:00 ET).

For the hosts, the mission is clear: anything less than a victory could see them dumped out of Europe entirely. Athletic Club enters the night in 28th place (6 points), two points adrift of the playoff cut-off. Sporting CP, fresh off a historic win over PSG, sits in 14th place (12 points) and is hunting for a win to potentially leapfrog into the top eight for direct Round of 16 qualification.

Match Information

Athletic Club: The "San Mamés" Factor

Ernesto Valverde’s men have struggled with consistency this season, and their defensive fragility was on full display in a 2–1 weekend loss to Sevilla. However, the Basque side remains a different beast in Bilbao, and they will lean heavily on their "Lions" to roar them into the knockout rounds.

Team News and Selection:

• The "Nico" Nightmare: Winger Nico Williams has been officially ruled out. He is currently weighing up surgery for a persistent sports hernia that could end his domestic season and threaten his 2026 World Cup spot.

• Injury Crisis: The medical room is crowded. Inaki Williams (calf), Aymeric Laporte (hamstring), Benat Prados, and Maroan Sannadi are all sidelined.

• Suspension: Midfielder Mikel Jauregizar is out after picking up his third yellow card of the competition against Atalanta.

• Key Man: Gorka Guruzeta has been the bright spot in Europe, netting four goals in his last five Champions League appearances.

• Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Simón; Gorosabel, Vivian, Paredes, Berchiche; Ruiz de Galarreta, Rego; Berenguer, Sancet, Navarro; Guruzeta

Sporting CP: Chasing the Top Eight

Rui Borges’ side is riding a massive wave of momentum after stunning holders Paris Saint-Germain 2–1 last week. While their playoff spot is guaranteed, the allure of avoiding the February playoff round by sneaking into the top eight is driving the Portuguese side to play their strongest possible lineup.

Team News and Selection:

• Defensive Absences: Matheus Reis is suspended following a red card. Eduardo Quaresma (cheekbone) and Nuno Santos (knee) remain unavailable.

• Striker Watch: Luis Suárez (the Colombian international) is in lethal form, leading the team with 12 goals this season, including four in the Champions League.

• Creative Hub: Francisco Trincão and Pedro Gonçalves are expected to start, though Gonçalves faces a late fitness test on a knock.

• Predicted XI (3-4-3): Silva; Fresneda, Inacio, Diomande; Catamo, Hjulmand, Simoes, Araujo; Trincao, Suarez, Goncalves.

Head-to-Head (H2H) and Key Stats

• Historical Edge: These sides haven't met in a competitive fixture since the 2012 Europa League semi-finals, where Athletic famously won 3–1 at home to progress.

• The "Away" Curse: Sporting CP has struggled on the road in Europe this season, failing to win any of their three away Champions League fixtures (D1, L2).

• Goals Guaranteed: There have been over 2.5 goals in five of Athletic’s last six matches and in all of Sporting's last four outings.

• Late Drama: Both teams have scored 30% of their European goals this season in the final 15 minutes of matches.

Tactical Analysis and Prediction

Athletic Club will look to turn the game into a physical, high-pressing battle from the first whistle. Without the pace of the Williams brothers, Valverde will rely on Robert Navarro and Alex Berenguer to provide service for Guruzeta. Their biggest concern remains a defense that has conceded an average of 1.6 goals per game in Europe.

Sporting will look to exploit that vulnerability through Luis Suárez's movement and the wing-back threat of Geny Catamo. If the Portuguese side can withstand the initial 20-minute "storm" at San Mamés, their superior technical quality in midfield through Morten Hjulmand should allow them to control the tempo.

Final Score Prediction: Athletic Club 1–1 Sporting CP