Spalletti Seeks 1st Champions League Win with Juventus against Sporting

Italian giants Juventus host Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday evening in a crucial clash in Matchday 4 of the UEFA Champions League 2025–2026 group stage. 

The Bianconeri are desperate to claim their first victory in the competition this season to revive their hopes of reaching the knockout rounds.

Juventus have endured a poor start to their European campaign, collecting only two points from three matches, a run that led to the dismissal of coach Igor Tudor. 

Newly appointed manager Luciano Spalletti, who signed a contract until the end of the season, now faces the challenge of turning things around in Europe.

Spalletti secured his first domestic victory with a 2–1 win over Cremonese in Serie A, a match that coincided with the club’s 128th anniversary celebrations, giving the team a much-needed morale boost ahead of tonight’s continental test.

Meanwhile, Sporting Lisbon enter the contest full of confidence after winning two of their three group-stage matches, putting them within touching distance of a spot in the Round of 16. 

However, the Portuguese side will be eager to end their winless record on Italian soil, where they have failed to record a single official victory in 19 previous visits, losing 14 of them, including elimination by Juventus in the 2023 Europa League quarterfinals.