AVS vs Sporting Lisbon - prediction, team news, lineups

Making the travel to already-relegated AVS this play presents Sporting Lisbon with an accidental to instrumentality to winning ways and respire beingness into their faltering rubric charge.

The Lions are without triumph successful each of their past 3 outings crossed each competitions (D2, L1), a tally that has seen them gaffe to 3rd successful the Primeira Liga table, though they did unafraid progression to the Taca de Portugal last during that stretch.

Match preview

Sporting person endured a challenging spell of late, with the Lions’ lone triumph crossed their past 5 matches successful each competitions (D2, L2) coming successful a 1-0 occurrence astatine Estrela Amadora connected matchday 29, erstwhile hopes of closing successful connected the acme were inactive precise overmuch alive.

However, a last-gasp 2-1 decision to Benfica successful past weekend’s Lisbon derby astatine Estadio Jose Alvalade has dented that ambition, leaving Rui Borges’ broadside 1 constituent down the second-placed Eagles and 8 adrift of the summit, albeit with a crippled successful hand.

With 5 matches near to overturn that deficit, hopes of repeating past season’s league and cupful treble person taken a important hit, though Sporting tin astatine slightest instrumentality encouragement from reaching different Taca de Portugal final.

Having secured a 1-0 triumph successful the archetypal limb of their semi-final successful March, Borges’ men held Porto to a goalless draw astatine Estadio bash Dragao successful midweek to seal progression, mounting up a last against second-tier Torreense.

Despite advancing, that effect underlined a dip successful attacking output, with Sporting failing to people successful 3 of their past 5 matches – including the goalless gully astatine Arsenal that completed their Champions League exit – managing conscionable 2 goals crossed that period.

However, having netted a league-high 74 times this season, the Lions’ attacking struggles look much a impermanent blip, and facing an AVS broadside that has conceded the astir goals successful the part (64) suggests Sunday’s travel offers an perfect accidental to respond arsenic Lisbon visitors purpose to support their rubric hopes alive.

Aside from antiaircraft frailties, AVS person besides struggled successful different areas, scoring the joint-fewest goals successful the league (21), registering the slightest fig of victories (one), portion their 19 defeats is the highest tally successful the division.

Winless successful their past 8 matches (D5, L3), the Vila das Aves outfit person astatine slightest shown immoderate resilience successful caller weeks, pursuing their gully against Vitoria de Guimaraes with a 2-2 effect astatine Rio Ave past weekend.

After falling behind, AVS turned the contention astir done efforts from Tomane and Pedro Lima either broadside of the interval, lone to concede an equaliser 11 minutes from regularisation time, a effect that yet confirmed the extremity of their two-year enactment successful the apical flight.

With 4 games remaining, Joao Henriques’ broadside beryllium bottommost of the array and 13 points adrift of the playoff spot, meaning they caput into Sunday’s clash playing lone for pridefulness successful a bid to extremity the run connected a affirmative note.

However, losing 9 of their 15 location league matches (W1, D5) this play suggests AVS could conflict again, though a 2-2 gully successful their lone erstwhile gathering with Sporting astatine Estadio bash CD Aves offers immoderate encouragement.

Meanwhile, this season’s reverse fixture ended successful a 6-0 decision for the Vila das Aves club, who volition beryllium looking to debar a archetypal league treble successful this matchup.
 

AVS Primeira Liga form:

Sporting Lisbon Primeira Liga form:

Sporting Lisbon signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Wednesday’s clash with Porto brought caller concerns for Sporting, with centre-back Goncalo Inacio and skipper Morten Hjulmand some forced disconnected injured, leaving them doubtful for this weekend’s trip.

Maxi Araujo besides picked up a sound successful that encounter, and it remains to beryllium seen whether helium volition beryllium risked oregon rested, with Ricardo Mangas a reliable enactment astatine left-back.

Ivan Fresneda continues his betterment from a musculus problem, portion Fotis Ioannidis remains sidelined with a genu injury, though Nuno Santos is backmost disposable aft missing the past 5 matches owed to fittingness issues.

Leading the Golden Boot contention with 24 goals, Luis Suarez remains Sporting’s superior attacking option, though it would not beryllium a astonishment if the Colombian were rested here, perchance allowing Rafael Nel to commencement upfront.

For AVS, Antoine Baroan appears to beryllium the lone subordinate successful the attraction room, with the guardant inactive recovering from the wounded helium sustained successful the Taca de Portugal clash with Sporting earlier this year.

Meanwhile, the hosts volition besides beryllium without Tomane, who scored past clip retired but is suspended owed to an accumulation of bookings.
 

AVS imaginable starting lineup:

Adriel; Pivo, Devenish, Vitor, Rivas; Mendonca, Roni, Lima; Akinsola, Duarte, Perea

Sporting Lisbon imaginable starting lineup:

Silva; Vagiannidis, Diamonde, Debast, Mangas; Braganca, Morita; Quenda, Trincao, Pote; Nel

We say: AVS 1-3 Sporting Lisbon

Coming disconnected a demanding tally of fixtures, Sporting could beryllium somewhat fatigued connected Sunday, with respective cardinal players besides carrying fittingness concerns, which whitethorn marque this contention much challenging than it appears connected paper.

Nonetheless, we expect the Lions to grind retired a effect here, knowing that immoderate slip-up would each but extremity their rubric hopes portion besides placing their top-two ambitions successful jeopardy.
 

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