Our prediction for this Portugal Primeira Liga match:
Buoyed by a 2-0 win over Porto in the Primeira Liga derby, Sporting CP will look to keep their 100% record intact when they take on Arouca on Matchday 5. The Lions are eyeing their fifth consecutive league win and they are likely to stick to their attacking style of play. All Vladan Kovacevic, Jerry St. Juste, and Diogo Pinto are sidelined with injuries, but Ruben Amorim can count on key players for Friday’s clash.
A man to watch in the away team will be Viktor Gyokeres, who scored three goals for Sweden in back-to-back wins over Azerbaijan and Estonia. Arouca, on the other hand, have already suffered three defeats in the new Primeira Liga campaign and given Sporting’s excellent form, away win should be considered. The likes of Nino Galovic, Quaresma Correia, Jose Fontan, and Kouassi Eboue are out of contention with injuries for the home side.
Highlighted Team (Sporting):
When it comes to official club members, Portugal giants Sporting Lisbon are the sixth club in the world. Commonly referred to as Leoes which is Portuguese for Lions, Sporting Lisbon were founded in 1906 and are one of the founders of the Primeira Liga.
Sporting’s main rivals are Benfica, with both teams contesting the Lisbon Derby, one of the most fierce ones in Europe. Lions play their games at Estadio Jose Alvelade in front of 50,000 people and are the third most successful club in the country with 46 titles in Portuguese competitions and a title in the European Cup Winner’s Cup from 1963-64.
During this time that is also known as the club’s golden years, Sporting Lisbon won the majority of their 18 Primeira Liga titles in total. Sporting Lisbon boasts the quality football youth academy system which has yielded world-class footballers such as Paulo Furte, Simao Sabrosa, Nani and Ballon d’Or winners Figo and Cristiano Ronaldo.