Football betting tips: Champions League
2.5pts Both teams to score at 17/20 (Coral, Ladbrokes)
1pt Maxi Araujo to be carded at 5/2 (Sky Bet)
It's all falling apart for Arsenal isn't it.
A Carabao Cup final defeat followed by an FA Cup quarter-final exit against Championship Southampton have alarm bells ringing for the Gunners. Another defeat here in Portugal would really mean everyone heading to their panic stations.
All of a sudden they look vulnerable defensively, and with Gabriel Magalhaes reportedly injured for this first leg, Sporting Lisbon will fancy their chances of adding to Arsenal's recent misery.
The Portuguese side smashed Bodo/Glimt to overcome a 3-0 first leg deficit in the last round, and are a dangerous attacking side especially at home.
Indeed they have scored two or more in every home Champions League game this season, including when beating PSG, so backing BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE rates the best bet here at 17/20.
Arsenal have plenty in forward areas themselves and Sporting are far from secure defensively, so an entertaining game in which both sides find the net could be on the cards. After all, this bet has landed in 10 of Arsenal's last 13 away games across all competitions.
We should also look at cards here given the referee appointment of Daniel Siebert, with the German official averaging 4.6 cards per game this season. In Champions League contests this season that average rises to a whopping 5.88.
Sporting left-back MAXI ARAUJO rates the best bet TO BE CARDED at 5/2.
The Uruguayan has been carded 13 times already this season at an average of 0.48 cards per 90, and will be tasked with containing Bukayo Saka (1.82 fouls won per 90) or Noni Madueke (1.32 fouls won per 90).
Odds correct at 16:00 BST (06/04/26)
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