Sporting CP are through the Champions League knockout phase after avoiding defeat to already-eliminated Bologna despite the absence of Viktor Gyokeres.
Gyokeres, 26, did not make the matchday squad in Lisbon on Wednesday night despite playing all but the final few minutes of their league match last weekend. It is the first time the Sweden international has been unavailable for a game for his club or country all season.
Without their talisman, Sporting fell behind in the first half after Tommaso Pobega put the visitors ahead after Sam Beukema flicked on a Nikola Moro corner. The Portuguese champions had lost three consecutive matches in the Champions League since beating Manchester City in early November, coinciding with Ruben Amorim ‘s departure.
Facing down a fourth meant they were minutes away from elimination before Conrad Harder equalised in the 77th minute with his first Champions League goal after turning in a Joao Simoes cross. The teenage striker started in place of Gyokeres for the second time in a week, having also done so away against RB Leipzig in their penultimate league phase game.
Gyokeres was a substitute on that occasion and came off the bench to equalise briefly for Sporting after replacing Harder before the hosts soon retook the lead. But a week on, Rui Borges could not turn to the Swede and had to rely on his Scandinavian strike partner to fire them into the play-off round, where they will play either Atalanta or Borussia Dortmund.
That means Gyokeres will still be playing Champions League football next month and should only aid Sporting in holding onto the player beyond Monday’s transfer deadline. The striker reportedly missed the Bologna game with a knee injury, which CNN Portugal reports will also keep him out this weekend against Farense.
