Tottenham boss Antonio Conte has been handed a much-needed boost with as many as six Sporting CP players ruled out of Wednesday's Champions League clash.
Spurs currently sit top of their group, but the three teams below them could still overtake them in the final two rounds of action. A win over Sporting will all but guarantee their place in the knockout stages, with Conte's men also looking for revenge after being defeated in the reverse fixture.
Conte is also hoping to put a stop to a poor run of form that has seen his side lose two successive games. A major boost to the Italian is the squad news that is coming out of the Portuguese giants, with Sporting facing something of a crisis.
According to Jornal de Notícias, defender Jeremiah St Juste has returned to training, but it is not yet known if he will be fit enough to feature against Spurs. The centre-back has missed Sporting's last three games with a muscle problem and only returned to training on Monday.
Ruled out for certain though are Sebastian Coates, Luis Neto and Daniel Braganca, all of whom remain with the club's medical department. Coates is still carrying a knock that has prevented him from playing in four of Sporting's last six games.
Neto meanwhile suffered a knee injury in September that has ruled him out of the last eight matches. At least Neto has been able to play this season, Braganca still has not featured at all for Ruben Amorim's side, with little sign that he will return soon.
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Joining that injured trio on the sidelines are Pedro Goncalves and Ricardo Esgaio. The duo were both sent off in Sporting's last outing in the Champions League - a 2-0 defeat to Marseille at home.
That defeat came amid what has been a disappointing start to the season for Sporting, who sit fourth in the Primeira Liga. And Amorim is aware that the trip to Tottenham represents a huge test to his depleted team.
"The team always give their best and always have the same identity. I don't know what will happen in the future. We could win every game or lose several. We have lost more than usual," he said following Saturday's win over Casa Pia.
"What I can guarantee is the same identity and the same idea of having the ball, creating situations and not allowing the opposition too many chances. Tottenham Hotspur is a different game in the UEFA Champions League.
"They will be playing at home and have an advantage in the group. We will compete to win the game, knowing the differences between the teams. The important thing is to finish with 11 men on the pitch."
Spurs sit top of Group D on seven points, with Sporting in third place on six points. A win for Tottenham and defeat for Eintracht Frankfurt against Marseille would secure the Premier League side's place in the knockout stages.
