Sporting Lisbon will need a result when they welcome already-eliminated Bologna to the Estadio Jose Alvalade in the Champions League on Wednesday.

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At the end of matchday four, Sporting sat in a tie for second place in the 36-team standings, after taking 10 points from a possible 12.

Fast forward just three matches later, and the Portuguese champions are now fighting just to make the playoffs, after falling to defeat in those three.

The third of those came last Wednesday, when an RB Leipzig side who still did not have a single point on the board beat them 2-1 in Eastern Germany.

A humbling 5-1 home loss to Arsenal, and a defeat at Club Brugge towards the end of 2024 did them little favours either, but losing in Rui Borges's first continental game last week could be very costly.

Sporting start the week in 23rd, with Stuttgart, Manchester City, Dinamo Zagreb and Shakhtar Donetsk all capable of overtaking them on Wednesday.

A draw should be enough, as that would wipe both Dinamo and Shakhtar out of the running to go above them, while Stuttgart and Man City both play sides who would drop below Sporting if they lose, but for peace of mind, Borges and his player will want all three points.

With 13 wins in 15 home games this season, a favourable outcome for the hosts is likely, and morale will be higher after a 2-0 win over Nacional moved them six points clear in the Primeira Liga at the weekend, with Benfica and Porto dropping more points.

Bologna have the upper hand in this particular matchup though, winning 4-1 on aggregate in their only previous meeting back in the 1998-99 UEFA Cup, winning 2-0 at the old Jose Alvalade.

After beating Borussia Dortmund 2-1 last midweek, Bologna also have the opportunity to win back-to-back games in Europe for the first time since that season in the UEFA Cup at the end of the last century.

It will all be for pride though, as Vincenzo Italiano saw his side eliminated following Wednesday's results, despite their famous win on Tuesday, having taken just five points from their opening seven games.

Bologna will look back to a matchday one draw with Shakhtar Donetsk as a big disappointment, considering they dominated proceedings and missed a penalty, as well as home defeats to both Monaco and Lille.

Italiano's side can now only be a spoiler to Sporting's hopes of reaching the playoffs, but they are winless on the road in this competition, taking just one point from their three away games so far.

The visitors have already frustrated a Portuguese club on the road in the competition this season though, as that solitary away point came against Benfica in a 0-0 draw on matchday six.

A draw is all the Rossoblu could manage away from home at the weekend too, being held 1-1 by Empoli in Tuscany, but that has moved them slightly closer to Lazio in the top four, and they remain unbeaten in 2025, after also drawing away to Inter Milan, and at home to in-form Roma.

Sporting Lisbon possible starting lineup:

Israel; Fresneda, Diomande, Goncalo Inacio, Quenda; Catamo, Morita, Hjulmand, Araujo; Trincao, Gyokeres

Bologna possible starting lineup:

Skorupski; Holm, Beukema, Lucumi, Juan Miranda; Odgaard, Pobega; Castro, Ferguson, Ndoye; Dallinga