The Daily Star Ireland
Napoli began their Champions League journey with one of the toughest possible fixtures — a trip to Manchester City. Reduced to ten men after just 20 minutes, Antonio Conte’s side battled hard but ultimately fell 2-0 at the Etihad. That match remains their only defeat of the season across all competitions. Domestically, Napoli have been dominant, sitting at the top of Serie A after a string of victories, including wins over Fiorentina (3-1) and newly promoted Pisa (3-2). Their most recent league test came in a high-profile clash against AC Milan at San Siro.
Sporting CP, meanwhile, enjoyed a far smoother introduction to this year’s European campaign. Hosting Kazakh underdogs Kairat Almaty, the Portuguese champions broke the game open in the second half to record a resounding 4-1 win. That performance mirrored their strong domestic form, where they remain near the top of the table, just behind FC Porto.
Contrasting Domestic Momentum
Napoli have continued to build on their Scudetto-winning foundations, demonstrating balance between attack and defense under Conte’s tactical structure. Their only setback in Serie A this season came via suspension rather than performance, with captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo receiving a red card against Manchester City, ruling him out of this European fixture.
For Sporting, consistency has been their hallmark, despite a narrow 2-1 defeat to Porto on August 30. Since then, Rúben Amorim’s men have responded well with successive wins over Famalicão (2-1) and Moreirense (3-0). Their latest challenge saw them travel to Estoril, aiming to extend their domestic winning streak before shifting focus back to Europe.
Team News and Key Players
Napoli remain without marquee striker Romelu Lukaku, whose long-term injury ruled him out of the group stage squad entirely. Center-back Alessandro Buongiorno is also sidelined, but Amir Rrahmani’s return to fitness provides defensive stability. With Di Lorenzo suspended, Conte must reshuffle his back line, while in attack he has to decide between summer arrivals Rasmus Højlund and Lorenzo Lucca, both of whom have already found the net in Serie A. Midfield maestro Kevin De Bruyne, with two league goals to his name, continues to be Napoli’s creative heartbeat.
Sporting CP welcome back several key players for this clash. First-choice goalkeeper Rui Silva, defender Ousmane Diomande, and winger Geny Catamo are all available again, adding depth to Amorim’s options. However, long-term absentees Nuno Santos and Daniel Bragança remain out, with returns expected later in the season. The attack will once again lean heavily on Francisco Trincão, who scored twice against Kairat, alongside Pedro Gonçalves (five goals, three assists) and Colombian striker Mateo Suárez, already on four goals this season.
Match Outlook
Napoli have been formidable at home in the Champions League, winning nine of their last 11 matches at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Conte will demand another strong showing in order to maintain their push for qualification, especially after losing their opener in Manchester.
Sporting, on the other hand, have struggled historically when stepping up against Europe’s elite. Their recent record shows nine defeats in their last 13 continental outings, underlining the challenge they face against one of Italy’s strongest sides.
Prediction
With Napoli’s excellent home form and Sporting’s inconsistency away from Portugal, the odds strongly favor the Italian champions. Conte’s men should have too much quality in both midfield control and attacking options to be denied.
Predicted Score: Napoli 3 – 1 Sporting CP
