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Team News and Predicted Starting Lineups

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Arsenal and Sporting CP will go head-to-head in the Champions League quarter-finals second leg at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night, as they compete for a place in the semi-finals.

Mikel Arteta’s side have one foot in the last four already after winning the first leg 1-0 in Portugal due to a late Kai Havertz goal, but they were beaten 2-1 at home by Bournemouth in the Premier League this past weekend. Rui Borges’ side, on the other hand, responded to the first leg loss with a 1-0 win over Estrela Amadora to stay within touching distance of Porto.

Both sides have some injury issues ahead of the game, and this is how GIVEMESPORT expect the teams to line up as a result.

Arsenal Team News

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta during Mansfield Town v Arsenal

Arsenal are dealing with a number of fitness concerns ahead of the game, with midfield star Declan Rice facing a late test to determine his availability. Jurrien Timber and Bukayo could return from knocks, while Martin Odegaard and Piero Hincapie are also pushing to feature.

Mikel Merino is out for the rest of the season with a foot injury.

Arsenal Injuries and Suspensions

Player

Injury

Potential Return Date

Jurrien Timber

Thigh

15/04/2026

Declan Rice

Knock

15/04/2026

Martin Odegaard

Calf

15/04/2026

Bukayo Saka

Knock

15/04/2026

Piero Hincapie

Other

15/04/2026

Mikel Merino

Foot

01/06/2026

Arteta Drops Team News Update

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Arteta shared an update on his squad ahead of the game.

“We have to wait until tomorrow morning to see how a few of the boys are and make the right decision with them,” he said.

“We have to wait and see how he [Rice] is tomorrow, but obviously he wasn’t available to train.

“He’s played a lot of games and that’s part of the issue. But he’s going to try to do everything that he possibly can to be with us tomorrow, that’s for sure.

“Maybe one of them [Timber and Saka] can play, let’s see.

“It was something that he [Saka] was carrying for a while. It was an Achilles issue.”

Arsenal Predicted XI

Viktor Gyokeres

  • Arsenal Predicted XI: Raya; Mosquera, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Rice, Zubimendi; Madueke, Eze, Trossard; Gyokeres.
  • Arsenal Predicted Substitutes: Kepa (GK), Setford (GK), White (DEF), Salmon (DEF), Lewis-Skelly (DEF), Hincapie (DEF), Norgaard (MID), Havertz (FWD), Jesus (FWD), Dowman (FWD).

Arteta could look to make some changes in the side, dropping £115m duo Ben White and Kai Havertz from the lineup to bring in Cristhian Mosquera and Eberechi Eze, while Viktor Gyokeres will continue to lead the line in attack.

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Sporting CP Team News

Geovany Quenda

Sporting will be without right-back Ivan Fresneda due to illness for the game, while star winger Geovany Quenda continues to recover from a broken foot suffered last year.

Captain Morten Hjulmand is available after serving his suspension for an accumulation of yellow cards in the first leg. Nuno Santos, Fotis Ioannidis, and Luis Guilherme also remain sidelined.

Sporting CP Injuries and Suspensions

Player

Injury

Potential Return Date

Nuno Santos

Thigh

Unknown

Luis Guilherme

Ankle

Unknown

Fotis Ioannidis

Knee

Unknown

Geovany Quenda

Foot

Unknown

Ivan Fresneda

Illness

Unknown

Borges Drops Team News Update

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Borges shared an update on his squad ahead of the game.

“He has been an important player, he has had a great season, but he is not at one hundred percent physically and, therefore, we opted to leave him in Lisbon. Tomorrow’s game demands one hundred percent from everyone. [In that position] Edu ​​gives us some things and is a competent full-back, Vagiannidis is a natural and offensive full-back and Blopa gives us speed, intensity and competitiveness. They are three different players in whom we believe and who can play,”

Sporting CP Predicted XI

Morten Hjulmand of Sporting CP playing against Bayern Munich

  • Sporting CP Predicted XI: Silva; Vagiannidis, Diomande, Inacio, Araujo; Hjulmand, Morita; Catamo, Goncalves, Trincao; Suarez.
  • Sporting CP Predicted Substitutes: Callai (GK), Virginia (GK), Mangas (GK), Quaresma (DEF), Debast (DEF), Kochorashvilli (MID), Braganca (MID), Goncalves (FWD), Nel (FWD), Faye (FWD).
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Man Utd Plotting Move to Sign William Gomes After Ederson

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Manchester United are plotting a move to sign another Brazilian ‘superstar’ after reaching a full agreement for Atalanta midfielder Ederson, according to CaughtOffside.

Man United have been tracking Ederson all summer and they have now finalised an agreement with the Serie A outfit to bring him to the Premier League, having already agreed personal terms on a four-year deal, with the option of a further 12 months.

The Brazilian has been signed for under £40m having had only a year remaining on his deal with the Bergamo-based outfit, with a move set to be completed at the beginning of July.

The Red Devils are clearly wasting no time in their bid to strengthen Michael Carrick’s squad ahead of more fixtures for the team next season, after they sealed their return to Champions League football.

United have a primary focus on central midfield, with up to two more players expected to follow Ederson in if Manuel Ugarte joins Casemiro in leaving Old Trafford.

They will look at other positions on the pitch too, especially if certain players leave, with one of those expected to be on the wings should Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho depart the club.

Carrick currently has Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo to choose from, but they could probably do with another option for the more congested fixture list.

Man United Considering Signing William Gomes

William Gomes

According to CaughtOffside, Manchester United are among many Premier League clubs considering making a summer move for Porto winger William Gomes.

Arsenal, Chelsea and Newcastle are also keen on the Brazilian ‘superstar’, who has a €80m (£70m) release clause written into his contract with the Portuguese giants.

Porto have no intention of selling the 20-year-old and would demand a major offer before even considering entering exit talks.

One report in England claimed that United have already sent an official to Portugal to discuss a deal for the right-sided winger, but there has been no formal bid yet.

Gomes ended the 2025-26 season with eight goals and one assist in 28 league appearances for Porto.

Man United Also Eyeing Yan Diomande Move

Yan Diomande

According to Sky Sports, United are also one of the clubs monitoring another in-demand right-winger in RB Leipzig sensation Yan Diomande.

The Ivory Coast international is another young player who enjoyed a breakthrough season for his club, scoring 13 goals and registering a further 10 assists despite being just 19 years of age.

Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain appear to be the frontrunners for the exciting forward’s signature as things stand, with the former said to be determined to land him before the World Cup kicks off on June 11.

Rated at £87m, the price tag could prove to be impossible for United to pay given the focus on rebuilding their midfield, but he is clearly a player with a huge future ahead of him in the game.

United are also said to be looking at Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers, according to GIVEMESPORT sources, with Michael Carrick and Jason Wilcox both working with him before and being huge admirers of him.

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Michael Jordan Named Only Player He Hated During NBA Career

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Throughout the remarkable career of Michael Jordan, there were countless memorable moments, challenges, and triumphs. From off-court controversies and the global brand that turned the Jordan name into a worldwide phenomenon, to the extraordinary basketball ability that captivated fans everywhere.

What MJ also possessed was an unmatched competitive drive and an obsession with winning. He had little patience for anyone who stood in his way.

During his legendary 15-year run in the NBA, Jordan developed several fierce rivalries, and when asked who he disliked facing the most throughout his career, there were plenty of names he could have mentioned.

Michael Jordan’s Heated Rivalries During Career

The basketball icon shared a well-documented rivalry with Isiah Thomas, fuelled by his ongoing feud with the Detroit Pistons. Their numerous playoff encounters played a major role in shaping both Jordan’s rise and the Chicago Bulls’ championship journey.

One of the most famous moments came when Thomas declined to shake Jordan’s hand after a playoff defeat, and the relationship between the two never appeared to fully recover. Yet, Thomas was not the player Jordan ultimately selected.

Jordan’s list of rivals stretches back even further than his NBA days. One of his earliest competitors was fellow college star Patrick Ewing, who played for Georgetown before going on to enjoy a successful 17-year NBA career, spending most of it with the New York Knicks while averaging 21 points per game.

Michael Jordan-1

Jordan’s North Carolina Tar Heels often got the better of Georgetown, but Ewing’s team consistently provided a tough challenge, and the pair developed a competitive relationship over the years.

Michael Jordan’s Pick For Most Hated Opponent

Despite those notable rivalries and confrontations, Jordan had a different answer when discussing the opponent he came to dislike the most. That distinction went to Indiana Pacers sharpshooter Reggie Miller.

“I don’t really dislike anyone in the league, but playing Reggie Miller drives me nuts. His game is all this flopping-type thing. He only weighs 185 pounds, so you have to be careful; don’t touch him, or it’s a foul. On offence, I use all of my 215 pounds and move him out, but he has his hands on you all the time. I just want to beat his hands off because it’s illegal. It irritates me.”

Michael Jordan and Reggie Miller

Miller was also regarded as one of the NBA’s premier trash talkers. Standing 6-foot-7 but weighing only 185 pounds, he knew he could never overpower Jordan physically. However, that approach wasn’t reserved solely for Jordan – Miller used similar tactics against opponents across the league.

While it earned him plenty of admiration, it also created its fair share of enemies. That was simply part of his style. He maximised every advantage available to compete at the highest level, including psychological warfare, and many respected him for it.

Michael Jordan, however, found it far less admirable.

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Ibrahima Konate Reveals Impact of Diogo Jota’s Death

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To put it simply, Liverpool had a very poor season in 2025/26. They finished fifth in the Premier League, having been the reigning champions, and failed to make it beyond the quarter-finals in any of the cup competitions.

As a result, head coach Arne Slot was sacked in May, and the club are looking to push forward and appoint Andoni Iraola as his replacement. However, there was one huge mitigating factor to consider when discarding the club’s disappointing campaign.

That was, of course, the tragic death of Diogo Jota. The Liverpool star was killed in a car crash along with his brother Andre Silva on 3 July 2025. It sent shockwaves through the football community, and one of his teammates has now opened up on the impact it had on him.

Ibrahima Konate: ‘Diogo Jota’s Death Devastated Me’

Diogo Jota tribute banner at Wembley

Ibrahima Konate was a key player for the Reds in 2025/26, playing 51 games in total, only missing two Premier League games. However, his form was shaky at times, and he certainly wasn’t as consistent as he had been in the club’s title-winning campaign a year before.

It’s no surprise that his best football was not forthcoming after Jota’s death completely disrupted his summer, which should have been spent recuperating. He wasn’t the only Liverpool star to struggle either, and the Frenchman opened up on how hard it was to focus on sport after the tragic loss of his teammate. Speaking on France Inter radio station, via Daily Mail, Konate said:

“Even today it’s hard to believe. His locker was still there in the dressing room, and every day when I was going to training he was coming with us. I remember when I found out when I was in Los Angeles and I couldn’t believe it. It devastated me.

“I didn’t have any interest in anything else at that point. It was the last person anyone would have chosen this to happen to. He didn’t care about anything. He just wanted to be happy and to have a good time with his teammates and his family. He wasn’t interested in fame.

“He was my neighbour as well, so I shared a few more moments with him. It was something powerful that happened to all of us.”

Konate went on to discuss how hard it was to focus his mind on football, but felt that he owed it to Jota and his family, as well as the club’s fanbase. He added: “You go back to football because you have no choice.

“We’re employees at a club that pays us every month, so we have duties. I think every fan was affected by this too, and I think all that we can do to help them is by winning games. We had no choice but to go back on the field and play for him and his family – as well as ourselves. There’s no way of getting over it, but you learn to live with it.”


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Konate Also Lost His Father During the Season

Ibrahima Konate

Making the season even more difficult on a personal level, the 27-year-old revealed that his father, Hamady Konate, had been struggling with his health at a similar time and then passed away in January. The French defender recalled:

“I’ve never spoken about it before, but it’s true that at the start of the season, my father was in hospital for several weeks. And actually, in my situation, I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know whether I should go home and stop playing, because the team needed me too.

“I didn’t know who to talk to about it, so I kept it all to myself. And this is the advice I’d give to everyone listening: when you’re feeling down or something’s going on, you need to talk to those around you. It can help you and do you good. I didn’t talk about it and kept it to myself.

“The doctors then told us he didn’t have long to live, but we didn’t know it would happen so quickly.”

He stayed available for the club for essentially the whole playing 36 times in the Premier League, only missing one game against Bournemouth on special leave for his father. Konate spoke about the toll it has taken on him, noting: TThere was never a moment when I felt like I was on the mend. All of these tragic events happened so quickly and, as soon as I felt like I was getting my head above water, something else happened. But then I had the support of all these fans, who are exceptional at Liverpool.

“My teammates and especially my family, but I also had to learn how to get back on my feet on my own because the team needed me more than ever. And I told myself that it happens to everyone every day, and I know that my father would have wanted me to get back.”

Konate – who is now leaving Liverpool following the expiry of his contract, and looks set to join Real Madrid on a free – also spoke about how players should not be ‘ashamed’ to suffer from depression in football. He concluded: “Depression is personal; it’s deep inside you. When you’re depressed, it starts in the heart, goes up to the brain and takes over your whole body. For me, that’s what’s hard, and we need to talk about it.”

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