Sporting Lisbon vs Santa Clara – News and Probable Lineups

Sporting Lisbon returns from the international break with hopes that a victory over Santa Clara at Estadio Jose Alvalade on Friday will be key in their chase for a third consecutive league title.

With seven fixtures still to play, the second-placed Lions are seven points behind the Primeira Liga leaders but have a game in hand. The visiting Azorean team is currently in 13th place, holding a six-point lead over the relegation playoff position.

Match overview

The postponement of Sporting’s matchday 26 fixture against Tondela allowed leaders Porto to increase their lead, while third-placed Benfica also caught up with the two-time defending champions during that time.

In gameweek 27, not much changed at the top, as all three teams clinched maximum points, including the Lions’ 4-1 triumph against Alverca, where Pedro Goncalves was instrumental in both scoring the first and final goals to secure the full points for Rui Borges’s squad.

This latest outcome marked back-to-back wins for Sporting, who had previously achieved a thrilling second-leg comeback against Bodo/Glimt, ensuring a historic Champions League quarter-final place against Arsenal, which will see them face off against former star Vitor Gyokeres, now with the London club.

Luis Suarez, however, has stepped up significantly, leading the Primeira Liga scoring charts with 24 goals and keeping Lisbon’s giants competitive on various fronts, including the Taca de Portugal, where they hold an advantage in their semi-final matchup against Porto.

A win on Friday would narrow the gap to four points before the league leaders go to Famalicao on Saturday, and Borges is likely confident, especially since his team has won their last 15 home games.

Santa Clara, on the other hand, come into this match in encouraging form, going five matches unbeaten (W3, D2) as results have improved since Petit took over in early February.

The Azoreans had struggled prior, going 11 league matches without a win (D4, L7) from early December to March, a stretch that even saw them eliminated from the Taca de Portugal by Sporting. However, their recent resurgence includes three consecutive victories.

These wins have been built on a solid defensive foundation, keeping clean sheets against Vitoria de Guimaraes (2-0), AVS (1-0), and Gil Vicente (1-0), with their latest victory secured by a stoppage-time goal from Vinicius Lopes.

Seeking to distance themselves from relegation concerns, Santa Clara also have reason for optimism, having gone three away matches without defeat (W1, D2), and are unbeaten in normal time in their last two visits to Sporting.

Team News

Nuno Santos had to leave the pitch during the victory over Alverca and is considered doubtful, while midfielder Giorgi Kochorashvili is still recuperating from an issue that has sidelined him since early February.

Brasilian forward Luis Guilherme is expected to be absent for a third straight match due to an ankle injury, and Greek striker Fotis Ioannidis remains out with a knee injury, although Chelsea-bound winger Geovany Quenda is closing in on a return from his foot injury.

On the other hand, Santa Clara took advantage of a quiet international break, leaving Petit with a squad that is largely fit and well-rested.

Left-back Matheus Araujo is still unavailable due to a cruciate ligament injury that’s likely to keep him out for the remainder of the season.

Petit has kept the same starting XI for the last two games and may continue with that successful combination, featuring Welinton Torrao, Fernando, and Gabriel Silva in attack, though Lopes may be considered for a start following his impactful performance last time out.

Sporting Lisbon probable starting XI:

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

Santa Clara probable starting XI:

Baptist; SOARES, Da Silva, Lima, Romao; Serginho, Ferreira, Klismahn; Lopes, Fernando, G Silva

There is a notable disparity in quality between the two teams, although Santa Clara’s defensive improvements indicate they should not be underestimated.

Nonetheless, containing a Sporting side that boasts a league-high 68 goals presents a formidable challenge, and given that the earlier encounter ended 2-1, a similar yet more comfortable win for the hosts seems likely, particularly since the home team has netted at least three goals in 10 of their last 15 matches at home.