It's time for cup football and it's the Europa League Group Stage between LASK Linz and Sporting CP. Here's the biggest preview available before kick-off:
Sporting CP could be less fresh than the hosts in this fixture, as they played a Primeira Liga game only four sleeps ago.
It's quite the trip for Sporting CP when visiting LASK Linz as the cities are 2600 kilometers apart.
LASK Linz form and stats
LASK Linz participated in Europa League the last season, where they reached the 3rd qualifying round and lost against Beşiktaş.The story so far in the Tipico Bundesliga for LASK Linz at their home stadium (Stadion der Stadt Linz) is 4 wins, 2 draws and 2 defeats.
A good away victory last time out for LASK Linz, who won 3-1 against Wolfsberger AC. Preceding that match was a Tipico Bundesliga defeat to Rapid Wien (0-4).
The home team are moderate favourites in this game. How does LASK Linz handle that role? We have found four games in our database similar to this one, based on the home odds. The win/draw/lost stats in these games are W2-D0-L2.
The match schedule is unforgiving for LASK Linz as they have a new game in only three days, a Tipico Bundesliga match thankfully also at home. Sturm Graz are visiting.
LASK Linz have proved capable of finding the net in their games here at Stadion der Stadt Linz with 15 goals in 8 league matches. LASK Linz's goalkeeper has had to pick the ball out of their own net 10 times. For more goal stats, check the Statistics tab above.
Sporting CP form and stats
Last season their Europa League adventure ended in the 16th finals against Villarreal.The story so far for the visiting team on their Primeira Liga travels is 3 wins, 2 draws and 2 defeats. With two straight losses from their last two away games, Sporting CP are hoping that it's time for some travel points again.
344 minutes! That's how long the Sporting CP goalkeeper Luis Manuel Arantes Maximiano and his defense have shut out their league opponents.
Sporting CP are travelling after their nice 1-0 home win in the Primeira Liga against Moreirense. Ahead of that match was the victory versus Gil Vicente at their stadium, the result 2-0.
We have checked recent matches where Sporting CP have had similar odds to win. Win-draw-lose statistics from those three games were W0-D2-L1.
The visitors will be packing their bags again in only four days as another away game awaits: The Primeira Liga trip to Santa Clara.
Sporting CP find the net in their away games, although not all the time. 9 goals from 7 away fixtures in the league. As opposed to that, Sporting CP have seen the ball go into their own net 8 times on the road.
Head 2 Head
The two sides played each other earlier this season: Sporting CP - LASK Linz 2-1.Top Goalscorers
  T. Goiginger 5 goals |   Bruno Fernandes 5 goals |  R. Ranftl 4 goals |
LASK Linz missing players
Sporting CP missing players
| LASK Linz | Sporting CP | ||||||
| Total | Home | Statistics | Stat | Away | Total | ||
| 25 | 12 | Played | P | 14 | 25 | ||
| 17 | 7 | Won | W | 5 | 12 | ||
| 3 | 2 | Drew | D | 4 | 4 | ||
| 5 | 3 | Lost | L | 5 | 9 | ||
| 48 | 24 | Scored | S | 19 | 39 | ||
| 23 | 14 | Conceded | C | 22 | 34 | ||
| 96% | 100% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 100% | 100% | ||
| 72% | 67% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 86% | 84% | ||
| 56% | 50% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 50% | 60% | ||
| 32% | 50% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 43% | 36% | ||
| 12% | 17% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 14% | 12% | ||
| 52% | 50% | BTTS | BTTS | 57% | 60% | ||
| 36% | 25% | Clean Sheets | C S | 21% | 28% | ||
| 16% | 25% | Failed to Score | F T | 21% | 12% | ||
| 6.1 | 4.6 | Corners For (avg) | C F | 5.6 | 5.4 | ||
| 4.1 | 3.8 | Corners Against (avg) | C A | 4.8 | 5 | ||
| 2 | 2.1 | Yellow Cards (avg) | Y C | 3.4 | 3 | ||
| 3 | 2 | Red Cards | R C | 3 | 4 | ||
| 368 | 165 | Total Shots | T S | 198 | 373 | ||
| 125 | 53 | Shots on Target | S O | 65 | 126 | ||
| 38% | 45% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 29% | 31% | ||
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Sporting CP | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 12 |
| 2 | LASK Linz | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 10 |
| 3 | PSV | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 9 | -3 | 7 |
| 4 | Rosenborg | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | -8 | 0 |
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Salzburg | 17 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 64 | 16 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 41 | 11 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 23 | 5 | 48 | 43 |
| 2 | LASK Linz | 17 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 34 | 13 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 15 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 3 | 21 | 41 |
| 3 | Wolfsberger AC | 17 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 40 | 22 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 22 | 13 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 18 | 9 | 18 | 30 |
| 4 | Rapid Wien | 17 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 35 | 21 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 15 | 13 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 8 | 14 | 29 |
| 5 | Sturm Graz | 17 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 30 | 20 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 14 | 12 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 8 | 10 | 27 |
| 6 | Hartberg | 17 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 31 | 35 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 16 | 11 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 15 | 24 | -4 | 27 |
| 7 | Austria Wien | 17 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 27 | 30 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 14 | 11 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 19 | -3 | 20 |
| 8 | Rheindorf Altach | 17 | 5 | 1 | 11 | 26 | 38 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 16 | 18 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 20 | -12 | 16 |
| 9 | St. Pölten | 17 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 18 | 41 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 21 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 20 | -23 | 15 |
| 10 | Admira | 17 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 17 | 35 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 24 | -18 | 14 |
| 11 | Wattens | 17 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 19 | 44 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 21 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 13 | 23 | -25 | 12 |
| 12 | Mattersburg | 17 | 3 | 2 | 12 | 20 | 46 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 10 | 24 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 22 | -26 | 11 |
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Benfica | 13 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 33 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 3 | 28 | 36 |
| 2 | Porto | 13 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 25 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 6 | 19 | 32 |
| 3 | Famalicao | 13 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 26 | 21 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 11 | 5 | 24 |
| 4 | Sporting CP | 13 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 20 | 15 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 23 |
| 5 | Vitória SC | 13 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 22 | 15 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 20 |
| 6 | Boavista | 13 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 12 | 12 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 7 | Tondela | 13 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 14 | 14 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 7 | 0 | 18 |
| 8 | Sporting Braga | 13 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 16 | 16 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 18 |
| 9 | Gil Vicente | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 12 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 9 | -1 | 16 |
| 10 | Vitória FC | 13 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 9 | -3 | 16 |
| 11 | Rio Ave | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 15 | 15 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 15 |
| 12 | Belenenses | 13 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 19 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 11 | -9 | 15 |
| 13 | Santa Clara | 13 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 14 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 7 | -4 | 14 |
| 14 | Moreirense | 13 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 16 | 18 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 12 | -2 | 14 |
| 15 | Maritimo | 13 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 14 | 23 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 11 | -9 | 12 |
| 16 | Portimonense | 13 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 19 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 10 | -9 | 11 |
| 17 | Pacos de Ferreira | 13 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 22 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 14 | -13 | 8 |
| 18 | Desportivo Aves | 13 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 15 | 29 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 8 | 21 | -14 | 6 |