Chelsea v Sporting Lisbon: Incredible odds on Blues win

Jose Mourinho has hinted that Diego Costa will start this game

Michael Lintorn says that Chelsea are great value to triumph in their final Group G clash against Sporting Lisbon...

Chelsea v Sporting Lisbon
Wednesday, 19:45
Live on Sky Sports 1 and Sky 1

Match Odds: Chelsea 1.814/5, Sporting Lisbon 5.49/2, The Draw 3.814/5

Chelsea have played ten home fixtures in 2014/15 and won nine, so it seems extraordinary that they are available to back at odds as chunky as 1.814/5 against a Sporting Lisbon side who they outclassed in the Portuguese capital in September.

The visitors have the greater incentive in requiring a point to confirm passage to the knockout phase alongside the Blues, but Jose Mourinho's men aren't the favour-supplying sort and don't suffer the final-group-game fatigue that regularly causes Arsenal to unravel.

Chelsea ended their previous three campaigns with victories, each in varying circumstances. In 2013/14, they had already qualified, yet beat Steaua Bucharest 1-0 regardless. In 2012/13, they rallied to thrash Nordsjaelland 6-1 despite knowing that it was almost certainly futile following their defeat to Juventus. In the triumphant 2011/12 effort, a 3-0 win over Valencia saw them through.

Sporting have earned a mere point on their Group G travels so far and have won just three of their 19 trips abroad in the competition this century, losing 11. Though their hosts only achieved a 1-0 success at Estadio Jose Alvalade, the margin would have been a lot wider were it not for an inspired display from Sporting goalkeeper Rui Patricio.

Mourinho relishes any opportunity to show his superiority to the compatriots that he has left behind, with Chelsea winning seven in a row against the best that the Primeira Liga has to offer.

Both Teams to Score

Chelsea have connected ball with net in every single one of their five Group G ties to date and 21 of their 22 encounters across all competitions, only failing at Sunderland. Three years and eight months have passed since they last fired a Champions League blank at Stamford Bridge, and that was against domestic rivals Man United.

Sporting have scored in four of their five this term and in an impressive 11 consecutive Champions League away matches - a sequence which started in 2007.

Best Bet: Back Chelsea to win @ 1.814/5
Other Recommended Bet: Back both teams to score @ 1.981/1