Saturday’s Primeira Liga match between Sporting CP and Boavista FC sees two of Portugal’s most storied clubs face off in a fascinating midseason encounter. Both sides enter the Journada 14 fixture in desperate need of points after staggering over the last few weeks.
Sporting remain top of the league standings, but a string of poor results sees the Lisbon club struggling at a critical stage. With rivals SL Benfica and FC Porto both on their heels, Sporting will be feeling the pressure after failing to secure a single point from their last four matches.
Boavista’s paper thin squad continues to scrape and battle for points over the early part of the season, with the Porto club hovering just over the relegation zone in 14th position. A visit to the Estádio José Alvalade will be the ultimate test for Os Axadrezados who will be aiming for their first league win since November 2.
Preview
The departure of highly rated manager Ruben Amorim to Manchester United has been the central theme surrounding Sporting. The 39-year-old transformed the Eagles over his four-year spell and his departure has left a sudden void at the club. João Pereira has been brought in to fill the manager role, but has struggled to inspire a talented group of players. A 5-1 defeat at the hands of Arsenal in the Champions League on November 26 was the beginning of sharp decline. Since then, Sporting have lost to CD Santa Clara, Moreirense FC and Club Brugge and have been outscored 10-3 in their last four matches.
A strong start to the 2024-25 campaign means Sporting currently sit atop of the standings with 33 points from 13 games, two points ahead of both Benfica and Porto.
Sporting lead the league in goals scored with an incredible 40, an average of 3.07 per game. That figure rises to 3.28 when calculating games played at the Estádio José Alvalade. Overall, 12 different players have scored for Sporting in the league at some point of the season. Victor Gyökeres leads the squad with 17 goals with Pedro Gonçalves second on the list with four.
On the defensive front, only Benfica have allowed fewer goals than Sporting this season.
Boavista manager Crisitiano Bacci has done an exceptional job of keeping his side competitive considering the limited resources he has had to work with. The Porto club’s financial predicament has prevented them from spending big in the transfer market. Given the circumstances, As Panteras will be relieved to be above the relegation zone with over a third of the season already complete.
Boavista are coming off back-to-back draws in the Primeira Liga. They managed a 1-1 draw in their last match against SC Farense, with 25-year-old attacking midfielder Reisinho converting a 95th minute penalty to salvage a point at Estádio do Bessa.
After 13 matches, Boavista are 14th in the table with 11 points. They remain two points above the relegation zone, but will be eager to secure some breathing room over the bottom four.
A stingy defense has been a key factor when Boavista have been able to accumulate points. Bacci has built an organised and resilient back four that has kept the club in matches throughout the season. The club have conceded just 16 goals in the league, fewer than any other team in the bottom half of the table.
Goals have been difficult to come by for Boavista, with the squad managing just eight so far. One major concern for Boavista will be the loss of Montenegrin midfielder Ilija Vukotic, who is set to miss Saturday’s match after receiving a red card in the game against Farense. Vukotic has already recorded two goals this season.
Odds
Sporting: 1.11, Boavista: 12.25, Draw: 10.25
Over 3.5 total goals: 1.55, Under 3.5 goals: 2.02
*All odds provided from Betano.pt. Odds are subject to change prior to kick off.
Form Guide (All Competitions)
Sporting CP:
| W | L | L | L | L |
Boavista FC:
| L | W | L | D | D |
Head-to-head Record
Sporting CP and Boavista FC have faced off 134 times with the Lisbon side winning 69 (51.4%) games, Boavista winning 29 (21.6%) games and 36 (26.8%) draws. In the liga, the two clubs have met 122 times with Sporting winning 64 games and Boavista 24.
At their home ground, Sporting have historically dominated this fixture, winning 52 of the 67 matches.
Over the last five games, Sporting hold the advantage, winning four of the last five. Boavista did manage to upset the Lisbon giants in September, 2022, pulling off a 2-1 victory at the Estádio do Bessa. The Verde e brancos, however, have outscored their northern counterparts 15-3 over the last five matches.
Players to watch
Despite a poor run of games (by his extraordinarily high standards), Victor Gyökeres remains the key to Sporting’s potent attack. The Swedish striker has been sensational since making the move to Portugal from Coventry City in 2023, leading the Primeira Liga with 29 goals in 33 matches last season. This season, he is off to another flying start with 17 goals in his first 13 matches.
Gyökeres’ high point of the season came against Manchester City on November 5, with the 26-year-old scoring a brilliant hat-trick against the reigning English champions to give his side an emphatic 4-1 victory.
Boavista will need to be at their best defensively if they hope to have any chance of upsetting Sporting and utility man Bruno Onyemaechi will be a key figure for the away side. Bruno has stood out for Boavista during the last few weeks, and has been an essential member of their back four. The 25-year-old Nigerian international approaches the game with an intensity and a high energy, and will be called on to play a big role in Saturday’s encounter.
One of Onyemaechi's greatest strengths remains his versatility. Bacci has used him in several positions this season including left-back, center-back and on the left wing.