Sporting Lisbon will be aiming to take a step closer to securing the Primeira Liga title when they take on Vitoria de Guimaraes at Estadio Jose Alvalade on Sunday evening.
The hosts are sitting pretty, seven points clear at the top of the league standings, while the visitors are fifth and in a fierce three-way battle for the final two European qualification places.
Match preview
Sporting are enjoying an excellent season and look destined to reclaim the Primeira Liga title that they relinquished to Porto at the end of the 2021-22 campaign.
Os Leoes edged ever closer to achieving that feat in midweek when they overcame Famalicao 1-0 on the road. In contrast to the typical style seen in most of Sporting's matches this season, their performance was somewhat less polished, but a single first-half goal from Pedro Goncalves proved sufficient to claim the points.
That result marked Sporting's seventh league win in a row and 16th game unbeaten (W15 D1 L0); they require just three more victories to be crowned top-flight champions for the 20th time in their history.
Ruben Amorim, who has been heavily linked with a move to the Premier League in the summer, could depart Lisbon with a domestic double, with his side set to face Porto in the Taca de Portugal final on May 26.
However, while the Lions have been exceptional this season, they have lost twice, and one of those was a 3-2 defeat at the Estadio Dom Afonso Henriques against this opponent in the reverse fixture back in December.
Meanwhile, Vitoria de Guimaraes are also enjoying a solid 2023-24 Primeira Liga campaign, currently on 57 points, already four points better than the tally they managed across the whole of last season.
However, they head into this match off the back of a couple of potentially costly results. In midweek, Os Vimaranenses were knocked out of the Taca de Portugal by Porto 4-1 on aggregate, and four days earlier, their European qualification hopes took a knock when they drew 1-1 with Farense at home in the league.
That draw against the Lions of Faro saw them miss out on the opportunity to draw level with Porto in third and instead caused them to slip out of the top four after Braga secured a clutch win over Estoril.
Alvaro Pacheco's side will now try to accomplish what no other team has managed this season and that is to take something away from Estadio Jose Alvalade, where Sporting have a perfect record of 14 wins in 14 games and have scored two or more goals in all but one of those victories.
Nevertheless, the visitors cannot be totally written off here as they have the psychological advantage and come into this match having won their last three away games and are unbeaten in their last five.
Team News
Sporting will have to make do without the services of Ousmane Diomande and Ricardo Esgaio - both of whom are serving a one-match ban for an accumulation of yellow cards.
Matheus Reis is the only long-term absentee and is likely out for the rest of the campaign, while Antonio Adan has resumed training, although it may still be a little too soon for him to return to the starting 11.
Vitoria will also be missing a couple of key players here, with Jorge Fernandes and Bruno Gaspar both forced into watching briefs due to suspension. Miguel Maga is likely to step into the back three in the absence of Fernandes.
Mikel Villanueva will be pushing for a start, having featured on the bench for two games since returning from injury. Joao Mendes and Telmo Arcanjo are still on the treatment table.
Sporting Lisbon possible starting lineup:
Israel; Quaresma, Coates, Inacio; Catamo, Hjulmand, Morita, Santos; Goncalves, Gyoekeres, Trincao
Vitoria de Guimaraes possible starting lineup:
Varela; Ribeiro, Borevkovic, Silva; Maga, T. Silva; Handel, Santos, Freitas; J. Silva, Kaio
We say: Sporting Lisbon 2-1 Vitoria de Guimaraes
While Sporting's midweek victory was not the prettiest, Os Leoes are a different beast at Estadio Jose Alvalade. Indeed, Vitoria cannot be underestimated, but we feel they will be no match for the hosts in this one.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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