Sporting Lisbon will be looking to end what has been a largely disappointing domestic season on a positive note when they travel to Vizela on Friday night.

The Lions will finish the 2022-23 Primeira Liga campaign in fourth position regardless of the results in the final set of fixtures, but Vizela, who are currently 11th, can jump a few places in the division with a win here.

Match preview

Vizela finished 14th in the Primeira Liga last season on their return to the top flight, and they are guaranteed to improve on that position this term, currently sitting 11th in the table on 40 points.

Vizelenses can finish 12th, with Rio Ave just a point below them, but they are only three points behind eighth-placed Famalicao, so a positive result on Friday is capable of shooting them up the division.

Tulipa's side have found it difficult to pick up positive results in recent weeks, though, going six matches without a victory in Portugal's top flight, with their last success coming against Santa Clara on April 7.

Vizela will enter this match off the back of a 1-0 defeat at Maritimo on May 19, while they have found it difficult at home this season, only picking up 19 points from their 16 games in front of their own fans.

Sporting, on the other hand, have been strong on their travels, winning nine of their 16 matches, collecting 30 points in the process, and they beat Vizela 2-1 in the reverse match earlier this season.

Ruben Amorim's side will enter this match off the back of a 2-2 draw with Benfica on Sunday, which ended a four-game winning run in Portugal's top flight.

Sporting won the Primeira Liga in 2020-21 before finishing second last season, but they will end this campaign in fourth position, which will see them qualify for the 2023-24 Europa League group stage.

The Green and Whites are four points behind third-placed Braga and 13 behind leaders Benfica, who are going head-to-head with Porto for the title in the final round of fixtures.

Sporting are unbeaten in all competitions since a 1-0 loss to Juventus in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final on April 13, while they have not been beaten in the league since the middle of February.

The Lions have lost too many games to be in title contention this term, though, and their focus will already have switched to next season, where they will be expecting to challenge higher up the division.

Team News

Vizela have no fresh injury concerns from their narrow loss to Maritimo last time out, and it would not be a surprise to see a similar XI for this contest.

Milutin Osmajic has been the team's main source of goals this season, finding the back of the net on seven occasions, and he is set to continue in the final third of the field.

There should also again be attacking roles for Kike Bondoso and Samu, with head coach Tulipa again expected to line his side up in a 4-2-3-1 formation on Friday night.

Sporting, meanwhile, will be missing Jerry St Juste and Jovane Cabral through injury for this match.

Pedro Goncalves has been in excellent form for the Green and Whites this season, scoring 20 goals and registering 14 assists in 50 appearances, and he will continue in the final third of the field.

Head coach Amorim is unlikely to find a reason to drastically change the side that took to the field for the first whistle against Benfica, but Paulinho is likely to come in for a start on Friday night.

Vizela possible starting lineup:
Felipe; Silva, Wilson, Anderson, Afonso; Claudemir, Rashid; Zohi, Samu, Bondoso; Osmajic

Sporting Lisbon possible starting lineup:
Israel; Diomande, Coates, Inacio; Esgaio, Ugarte, Morita, Santos; Trincao, Paulinho, Goncalves

We say: Vizela 0-2 Sporting Lisbon

Vizela have had a strong season, but Sporting's recent form has been excellent, and we are finding it difficult to back against the Green and Whites here. The visitors should have too much attacking quality for their opponents, and we are also backing them to keep a clean sheet.

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