Casa Pia vs Sporting Lisbon – News and Probable Lineups

Sporting Lisbon will be aiming to recover from an unexpected loss in their latest Primeira Liga match as they clash with Casa Pia at Estadio Municipal de Rio Maior on Friday evening.

The Lions find themselves in third place in the Portuguese top-flight standings, trailing leaders Porto by nine points and sitting four points behind second-placed Benfica. In contrast, the Geese are in the relegation playoff position, ranked above 17th-placed Rio Ave but behind 15th-placed Nacional only on goal difference.

Match overview

Sporting’s pursuit of the title, after finishing as runners-up last season, has experienced a few challenges, with the 2-1 defeat against newly promoted Academico de Viseu at Estadio Jose Alvalade last weekend possibly being their most frustrating league result this term.

After facing a setback against Champions League newcomers LASK Linz, the Lions suffered two consecutive home defeats for the first time since November 2024, with Luis Suarez’s equaliser being inadequate to secure a point as Joao Guilherme scored a brace, marking Sporting’s initial league loss of the season.

Fortunately for Rui Borges’s squad, they found relief during the Taca da Liga midweek, defeating Maritimo 2-1 with a pair of goals from Pedro Lima, allowing them to reach the semi-finals and easing some pressure off the Portuguese head coach.

Borges faces a mixed away performance heading into Friday’s 10th round of the Primeira Liga, with his team alternating between victories and draws across their four away fixtures, although their most recent trip saw them secure a 3-1 win over Braga.

The visitors can also take heart from their strong record in this particular matchup, having won all of their last six away encounters with Casa Pia in all competitions, scoring at least two goals in each meeting.

On the other hand, Casa Pia will be looking to use their recent results as a foundation for improvement on their home turf after securing a much-needed 2-0 away win against Estrela Amadora last weekend, with goals from Joao Rego and Lawrence Ofori.

This victory marked the Geese’s second consecutive win, the first time they have accomplished this feat since claiming back-to-back league victories over Boavista and Benfica in January 2025, following a narrow win against FC Alpendorada on October 18, 2026, which advanced them to the fourth round of the Taca de Portugal.

Casa Pia has recently shown some improvement under Filipe Coelho, earning six points from their last three league games (W2, D0, L1) after only managing one point in their first six matches, in which they lost all initial four without finding the net.

However, their performances at Estadio Municipal de Rio Maior have been disappointing, as the Geese have fallen in all four of their Primeira Liga matches played at this ground this season, making them the worst home side in the league, with only one goal scored and 13 conceded in those fixtures.

Team News

Goalkeeper Andre Gomes remains out for Casa Pia due to an adductor injury, while Seba Perez is anticipated to be fit for this match despite suffering a knock during the win over Estrela Amadora.

Jeremy Livolant has returned to action against Estrela, appearing as a second-half substitute, indicating that he may no longer be under disciplinary action by the club and could feature more prominently here.

Veteran forward Cassiano made his first league start of the current season last game, but it wouldn’t be surprising if Henrique Araujo was brought back into the starting lineup after being substituted on in that fixture.

Sporting, on the other hand, will still be without Zeno Debast, who is recovering from a leg muscle injury, along with Rodrigo Zalazar (thigh) and long-term absentee Nuno Santos (knee).

Borges is expected to reinstate several key players after making 11 changes for the Taca da Liga win against Maritimo, with Suarez likely to lead the attack following his scoring streak in the last ten matches for the Lions.

Casa Pia probable starting XI:

Mandic; Geraldes, Kaly, Sousa, Rosas; Ofori, Clua; Salah, Rego, Pauwels; Araujo

Sporting Lisbon probable starting XI:

Kaique Pereira; Fresneda, Quaresma, Inacio, Araujo; Doumbia, Altimira, Simoes; Catamo, Suarez, Irankunda

While Casa Pia’s recent away successes indicate that the hosts may be gaining confidence, their poor home record paired with Sporting’s supremacy in this matchup suggests an upset is unlikely, with an away win being the most probable outcome.