(Football news) Arsenal travel to the Estadio Jose Alvalade XXI for the first leg of their Europa League last-16 clash with Sporting Lisbon. The Gunners got direct entry to the round of 16 after they progressed as winners from Group A. Sporting are familiar with North London after they played Tottenham Hotspur during the group stage of the Champions League, Sporting couldn’t get the best of Spurs and Eintracht Frankfurt as they settled for a third-placed berth and spot in the Europa League 

In the knockout playoff tie against Midtjylland were the overwhelming favourites to progress as Sporting had to thank Sebastian Coates for a stoppage time equaliser in a 1-1 first-leg draw, but in the return leg in Denmark, the Portuguese side stormed to a 4-0 success. Sporting occupy the fourth place in the Primeira Liga table and are 15 points behind leaders Benfica. Sporting were still waiting to add to their sole title in 1963-64 when they won the European Cup Winners’ Cup, Sporting’s only Europa League appearance came against eventual winners Atletico Madrid in 2009-10.

Arsenal are amidst a remarkable Premier League title charge, and 2-0 loss to PSV Eindhoven proved inconsequential in the end as the Gunners topped Europa League Group A with 15 points. Mikel Arteta’s young guns have managed to keep Manchester City five-points behind at the top with 12 games left to play, although their unassailable lead would have been much less had it not been for one of the most dramatic last-minute goals the Emirates will ever see against Bournemouth.

Reiss Nelson sent the home crowd into delirium after sealing a 3-2 win in another true test of their title credentials. It would take a catastrophic collapse for Arsenal to drop out of the top four as winning the Europa League is less of a priority than in previous years but they have never been knocked out in the last 16 of the Europa League. Arsenal edged out Sporting in a 1-0 win during the group stage thanks to a goal from Danny Welbeck’s in Portugal, and a goalless draw at the Emirates in the second leg made it four games without a win or goal for the Portuguese giants against the Gunners.

Sporting Lisbon possible starting lineup:

Adan; Inacio, Coates, St. Juste; Esgaio, Tanlongo, Morita, Reis; Edwards, Paulinho, Goncalves

Arsenal possible starting lineup:

Turner; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Xhaka, Jorginho; Saka, Odegaard, Smith Rowe; Martinelli

Also read: Bayern Munich knockout PSG with a 3-0 aggregate win