Our prediction for this Portugal Primeira Liga match:
Sporting
Match Time & Date:
18/12/2023
12:15 PM
Prediction: 2-1
Porto
Estadio Jose Alvalade will be packed when Sporting CP and Porto square off against each other in the Primeira Liga derby on Monday evening. The Lions are leading the chase for the domestic trophy, but their performance in a 3-2 loss to Guimaraes is not giving fans a reason for optimism ahead of the visit of Porto. Both Ivan Fresneda and Jerry St. Juste remain in the recovery room, but there are no suspended players in the home team.
Meanwhile, the Dragons aim to overtake Sporting in top position in the standings, but given the Lions’ 100% home record in the 2023/2024 Primeira Liga campaign, we predict that Pepe and Co. are going to return home with their hands empty. Both Gabriel Veron and Ivan Marcano are sidelined with injuries, speaking of the visiting team. In their last meeting in Lisbon Porto defeated Sporting, meaning that the hosts are hungry for revenge.
Highlighted Player (Toni Martinez):
Born in Barrio del Progreso, Spain, on June 30, 1997, Toni Martinez is a forward who plays for Primeira Liga side Famalicao. Martinez is a product of Real Murcia football school, but in 2013 he moved to Valencia youth academy.
After scoring two goals in 16 appearances for Valencia B, the Spaniard signed a deal with West Ham United in April 2016 for a fee of around £2.4 million. However, he did not see any game action in the Premier League with the Hammers as he was immediately sent on loan to Oxford United.
Toni Martinez played for the likes of Real Valladolid, Rayo Majadahonda, and Lugo on loan as well before signing a three-year deal with Famalicao in the summer of 2019. He made his debut with the Azuis e Brancos on August 3, 2019, in a 2-0 home defeat to Covilha in the Taca da Portugal. Toni Martinez has two caps with the Spain U19 team.
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.
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