Sporting Lisbon and Maribor will both be hoping to boost their chances of reaching the last 16 in the Champions League when they face each other on Tuesday evening.

The Portuguese side sit third in the Group G table heading into this match, just a point behind second-placed Schalke 04, and five adrift of leaders Chelsea.

Sporting have been struggling domestically in recent weeks and suffered their heaviest defeat in two years with a 3-0 loss to Vitoria earlier this month, while a draw before the international break has left them eighth in the table.

Mauricio will be available again after missing the 4-2 win over Schalke through suspension, but is one of a string of players just a booking away from another absence.

Meanwhile, Maribor are just two points outside the qualifying places for the knockout stages, so a win in Lisbon will boost their hopes of remaining in the competition.

The Slovenian side have lost just once in their previous four outings in the group, but are still looking for their first win, and a loss would leave them unable to reach the knockout stage.

Striker Tavares has been struggling with an adductor injury, while midfielder Agim Ibraimi has been struck down by pneumonia over the last week, but both featured in the league at the weekend.

These two sides shared a 1-1 draw when they met in Slovenia earlier in the campaign.

Sporting Lisbon:

Form in Champions League: DDDLLW
Form in all competitions: LWLWDW

Possible starting lineup: Patricio, Soares, Mauricio, Sarr, Nasciemento, Eduardo, Carvalho, Silva, Carrillo, Slimani, Nani

Maribor:

Form in Champions League: DWDDLD
Form in all competitions: WLDWWW

Possible starting lineup: Handanovic, Stojanovic, Rajcevic, Bordignon, Viler, Ibraimi, Mertelj, Filipovic, Sallalich, Tavares, Zahovic

Sports Mole says: 2-1

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