Sporting Lisbon vs Arouca - prediction, team news, lineups

Sporting Lisbon volition beryllium looking to get backmost to winning ways this play arsenic they invited Arouca to Estadio Jose Alvalade for circular 7 of the Primeira Liga campaign.

The Lisbon giants mislaid further crushed successful their early-season rubric propulsion aft past weekend's disappointing 1-1 gully astatine Famalicao, portion the Wolves participate this brushwood pursuing a 2-1 decision to Santa Clara.

Match preview

Sporting's ambition to reclaim the rubric took a stroke past play successful Vila Nova, wherever Rui Borges's men surrendered a precocious pb from a Luis Suarez punishment earlier conceding a stoppage-time Goncalo Inacio ain extremity against 10-man Famalicao.

The effect leaves the Lions 3rd successful the early-season Primeira Liga table connected 14 points, 2 down second-placed metropolis rivals Benfica and 4 adrift of leaders Porto, who lifted the title past season.

Having failed to clasp the rubric past term, erstwhile they finished 2nd and six points disconnected the summit, Sporting would person aimed for an explosive commencement this clip around, but their momentum has been halted by a mates of draws that person prevented them from converting promising positions into maximum points.

Last weekend's stalemate astatine Famalicao was different illustration of the Lions' inclination to suffer attraction aft taking the lead, with their 2-2 stalemate astatine Estrela connected the opening play providing a akin warning, though Borges's broadside had recorded 4 consecutive league victories betwixt those 2 results.

Maximum points against Vitoria de Guimaraes, Alverca, Rio Ave and Nacional were followed by a Champions League triumph implicit Galatasaray, portion the setback successful Vila Nova not lone halted that momentum but besides marked the archetypal clip Borges's broadside had failed to people astatine slightest doubly successful a crippled this season.

However, facing an Arouca broadside against whom they person scored 8 goals crossed their past 2 meetings should supply Sporting with confidence, including a 6-0 thrashing successful the corresponding fixture past August, though it volition not beryllium mislaid connected the hosts that the lone 2 times they person dropped points successful their past 7 meetings with Arouca (W5, D2) came astatine Alvalade.

Arouca, connected the different hand, look to beryllium losing their bushed successful caller weeks, having suffered 2 defeats successful their past 4 outings (W1, D1) aft opening the run with back-to-back victories against Vitoria and Moreirense.

A 2-0 decision astatine defending champions Porto could person been viewed arsenic a setback against superior opposition, and the Wolves responded by beating recently promoted Maritimo earlier playing retired a goalless gully against winless Estoril Praia, but past weekend's nonaccomplishment to Santa Clara came aft a peculiarly dilatory start.

Arouca were already 2 goals down earlier the interval against the Azoreans, leaving Ivan Barbero's 46th-minute effort arsenic small much than a consolation and leaving Vasco Seabra's broadside 5th successful the standings.

The Wolves’ 8 goals truthful acold this play correspond a coagulated attacking return, with lone 5 teams successful the part scoring more, portion Seabra’s men person conceded 5 during that period, though the visitors cognize that greater subject astatine some ends volition beryllium required if they are to extremity a seven-match winless tally against Sporting this weekend.

As a substance of fact, Arouca person conceded aggregate goals successful each of their past six meetings with the Lions, portion their caller distant signifier offers different interest fixed that they person failed to people successful their past 2 league trips.

That continues a hard signifier connected the roadworthy from past season, erstwhile Lobos mislaid 5 of their last 7 distant league games (W2), though their 4 points from 3 distant fixtures this word amusement that they person made a much affirmative commencement to their travels.

Sporting Lisbon Primeira Liga form:

Sporting Lisbon signifier (all competitions):

Arouca Primeira Liga form:

Team News

Sporting are expected to stay without Ibrahima Ba, who suffered a relapse of his right-knee injury, portion Nuno Santos and Moncef Zekri are besides acceptable to miss out.

On a affirmative note, Salvador Blopa has returned to afloat grooming aft recovering from a muscular problem, portion Rodrigo Zalazar is expected to reclaim his starting spot aft shaking disconnected the unwellness that restricted him to a substitute quality astatine Famalicao.

Inacio is acceptable to support his spot successful the backmost enactment contempt scoring 2 ain goals successful caller outings, with Borges reluctant to disrupt the antiaircraft pairing further fixed Ba's lack and the request for stableness up of a demanding tally of fixtures.

Suarez's punishment past clip retired means helium has recovered the nett successful each of his 5 starts for Sporting this season, with the Colombian having scored 5 times successful six Primeira Liga appearances and expected to pb the enactment erstwhile again.

Arouca question to Alvalade without 2 notable names, arsenic Lee Hyun-Ju is distant astatine the 2026 Asian Games with South Korea's Under-23 broadside and Miguel Puche remains a semipermanent absentee pursuing genu country earlier successful the season.

Meanwhile, Barbero leads the broadside with 4 goals this play and is expected to support his spot successful the fig 9 role, portion Ignacio de Arruabarrena’s show betwixt the sticks could beryllium cardinal this play if the Wolves are to instrumentality thing from Jose Alvalade.

Sporting Lisbon imaginable starting lineup:

Silva; Fresneda, Debast, Inacio, Araujo; Altimira, Doumbia; Catamo, Zalazar, F Goncalves; Suarez

Arouca imaginable starting lineup:

De Arruabarrena; Esgaio, Sanchez, Fontan, Lebedenko; van Ee, Fukui; Trezza, Gozalbez, Djouahra; Barbero

We say: Sporting Lisbon 3-1 Arouca

Sporting's gully against Famalicao does not connection the strongest grounds that the Lions are successful explosive form, but Arouca person shown vulnerability successful caller weeks, and their caller struggles successful beforehand of extremity distant from location could marque it hard for them to origin problems astatine Alvalade.

We truthful expect Sporting's attacking prime and location vantage to beryllium decisive, with the hosts apt to enactment the disappointment of past play down them and assertion a comfy victory.

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