Primeira Liga | Gameweek 21

Feb 7, 2025 at 8.15pm UK

Estadio Do Dragao

Porto vs Sporting Lisbon

Match preview

A 4-0 thrashing of second-bottom Boavista at the end of 2024 left Porto second in the Liga, albeit level on 40 points with Sporting and two behind Benfica at the end of Round 16.

Fast forward to Round 21 and the Dragons are eight points adrift of the Lisbon giants on 50 and two behind Benfica, having dropped 10 of the 12 points available to them at the start of 2025.

The inauspicious start to the new year cost Vitor Bruno his job and Martin Anselmi has been in charge since the end of January, guiding the blue and whites to a 1-0 Europa League win at Maccabi Tel Aviv before a 2-2 draw at Rio Ave last week.

Porto have now drawn back-to-back Portuguese top-flight games after losing to Nacional (2-0) and Gil Vicente (3-1) at the start of the year, and the Dragons are looking to avoid a run of five consecutive league wins for the first time this century, having gone four games without a win in January-February 2001 - defeats to Boavista (1-0), Benfica (2-1) and Pacos de Ferreira (1-0) and a goalless draw with Belenenses.

That miserable run was followed by a 3-1 home win over Campomaiorense in February 2001, which kicked off a 14-match unbeaten run (12 wins) that lasted until the following season, and the Portistas will be eager to repeat the feat against their Lisbon rivals.

The Dragons have reason for optimism given their impressive home form at the Dragao, where they have dropped two points all season, with the only draw coming in their last home game - a 1-1 draw with Santa Clara.

In contrast, Sporting will be hoping to become the first side to beat Porto on home soil since Vitoria de Guimaraes in April 2024, ending the Dragons' 13-match unbeaten run at the Dragao, as they have steadily improved under Borges following their post-Amorim struggles.

After recording one win and two defeats in four Liga games before the Lions sacked Joao Pereira on Christmas Day, Borges' men have won four and drawn one of their last five top-flight matches, including a 1-0 victory over Benfica on 29 December.

Going into Friday's clash, the league leaders have won three successive league games, keeping two clean sheets in the process, and will be looking for a fourth successive victory at Porto's expense.

Borges has already won against Friday's opponents - a 1-0 victory in the League Cup semi-finals in early January - and Sporting, who beat the Dragons 2-0 in the reverse fixture in August, are looking to make it three wins in a row against their rivals.

However, the Lions have not tasted league success at the Dragao since a 3-1 win in April 2016, and it will be fascinating to see if the Sportinguistas can find some cheer in Oporto after eight disappointments, including five defeats, during that winless run.

Recent Performance

Porto Primeira Liga form:WWLLDD

Porto form (all competitions):LLLDWD

Sporting Lisbon Primeira Liga form:DWDWWW

Sporting Lisbon form (all competitions):LWLWDW

Team News

Anselmi has switched to a back three since replacing Bruno, and Porto are expected to stick with this approach for the third match in a row under the former Cruz Azul boss.

Ivan Marcano is out with a serious knee injury, while Marko Grujic and Martim Fernandes are expected to miss out with muscular complaints, while the hosts are without the services of Nico Gonzalez following the midfielder's deadline day move to Manchester City.

Samu Aghehowa has failed to find the net in his last three league appearances and five in all competitions since scoring a brace against Boavista at the end of December, and the 13-goal striker will be hoping to break his duck against the visitors from Lisbon.

Viktor Gyokeres (thigh) has missed back-to-back games for Sporting and the centre-forward will be assessed before Friday, but if the striker is sidelined, Sporting will need to find attacking solutions for the 22-goal man, who has scored seven openers and four game-winners this term.

The Lions will be without Pedro Goncalves and Nuno Santos due to serious knee injuries, while Hidemasa Morita (muscle) will be assessed before the round of 21 clashes.

Borges' Sporting are a back-four side these days, deploying a 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2 depending on the opposition, and the Lions are unlikely to change tactics this weekend.

Possible starting lineup

Porto possible starting lineup:

Costa; Djalo, Perez, Otavio; Mario, Eustaquio, Varela, Moura; Borges, Mora; Aghehowa

Sporting Lisbon possible starting lineup:

Silva; Fresneda, Diomande, Inacio, Araujo; Hjulmand, Simoes; Trincao, Braganca, Quenda; Harder