Preview: Sporting Lisbon vs Santa Clara – prediction, team news, lineups

Sporting Lisbon return from the worldwide break hoping a victory over Santa Clara at Estadio Jose Alvalade on Friday proves vital of their pursuit of a 3rd consecutive high-flight title.

With seven matchdays remaining, the second-positioned Lions sit seven factors adrift of the Primeira Liga summit, albeit with a sport in hand, whereas the Azorean guests occupy thirteenth place with a six-level cushion above the relegation playoff spot.

Match preview

The postponement of Sporting’s matchday 26 conflict with Tondela allowed leaders Porto to increase their benefit, whereas third-positioned Benfica additionally drew stage on factors with the 2-time defending champions throughout that interval.

Gameweek 27 modified little on the high, with all three sides amassing most factors, together with the Lions’ 4-1 victory at Alverca, the place Pedro Goncalves opened and closed the scoring to safe full spoils for Rui Borges’s males.

That consequence made it again-to-again wins for Sporting, who had secured a dramatic second-leg comeback towards Bodo/Glimt within the match prior, with the consequence sealing a historic Champions League quarter-last berth towards Arsenal, which serves as a reunion with former marksman Vitor Gyokeres, who joined the London membership final summer time.   

Luis Suarez has however stepped up impressively, with the Colombian main the Primeira Liga scoring charts with 24 targets and preserving the Lisbon giants in rivalry on a number of fronts, together with the Taca de Portugal, the place they maintain the higher hand of their semi-last tie with Porto.

That being mentioned, victory on Friday would briefly minimize the hole to 4 factors forward of the league leaders’ journey to Famalicao on Saturday, and Borges shall be assured given his aspect have received every of their final 15 dwelling matches.

© Imago

Santa Clara, nevertheless, arrive in encouraging type, going 5 video games unbeaten (W3, D2) as outcomes have improved below Petit, who took cost in early February.  

The Azoreans had beforehand gone 11 league matches with out success (D4, L7) between early December and March, a interval that additionally included Taca de Portugal elimination by Sporting, although the latest turnaround has featured three straight wins.

Those successes have been constructed on defensive solidity, with clear sheets recorded towards Vitoria de Guimaraes (2-0), AVS (1-0) Gil Vicente (1-0), with the newest success secured by a stoppage-time strike from Vinicius Lopes.

Seeking to widen the hole to hazard, Santa Clara have additional purpose for optimism after avoiding defeat of their final three away matches (W1, D2), whereas they’re unbeaten in regulation time of their earlier two visits to Sporting.

 

Sporting Lisbon Primeira Liga type:

Sporting Lisbon type (all competitions):

Santa Clara Primeira Liga type:

Team News

© Imago / Ball Raw Images

Nuno Santos was pressured off within the win over Alverca and stays uncertain, whereas midfielder Giorgi Kochorashvili continues to get better from a difficulty that has saved him out since early February.

Brazilian attacker Luis Guilherme is about to overlook a 3rd consecutive match resulting from an ankle downside, and Greek striker Fotis Ioannidis stays sidelined with a knee criticism, though Chelsea-bound winger Geovany Quenda is nearing a return from a foot damage.

Santa Clara, in the meantime, benefited from a quiet worldwide window, leaving Petit with a largely match and nicely-rested squad.

Left again Matheus Araujo stays unavailable with a cruciate ligament damage anticipated to maintain him out for the remainder of the marketing campaign.

Petit has named the identical beginning XI within the final two outings and will retain that profitable system, with Welinton Torrao, Fernando and Gabriel Silva main the road, although Lopes might earn a begin after his decisive contribution final day trip.

 

Sporting Lisbon potential beginning lineup:

Silva; Fresneda, Quaresma, Inacio, Mangas; Hjulmand, Morita; Catamo, Trincao, Goncalves; Suarez

Santa Clara potential beginning lineup:

Batista; Soares, Da Silva, Lima, Romao; Serginho, Ferreira, Klismahn; Lopes, Fernando, G Silva

We say: Sporting Lisbon 3-1 Santa Clara

There is a transparent gulf in high quality between the groups, though Santa Clara’s defensive enchancment suggests they shouldn’t be dismissed frivolously.

However, containing a Sporting assault boasting a league-excessive 68 targets seems to be a frightening job, and with the reverse fixture ending 2-1, an analogous however extra comfy dwelling win seems doubtless, particularly given the hosts have scored at the very least thrice in 10 of their final 15 dwelling matches.

 

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