AVS persists in facing difficulties in achieving favorable results at the lower reaches of the Primeira Liga standings. Last Sunday, when they clashed with Rio Ave at the Estadio dos Arcos, the two teams ended up in a 1 - 1 draw.

Ecuadorian international John Mercado provided the visitors with an ideal start to the game. He scored two minutes after the hour mark, putting them in the lead. However, Demir Ege Tiknaz scored in the 62nd minute, enabling Rio Ave to secure a share of the points.

AVS has now gone three consecutive games without a victory. They have obtained only one point from the last nine available and have managed just a single win in their last 16 matches across all competitions since late October.

Having been promoted to the top flight through the playoffs last year and playing in their first - ever top - tier campaign, Rui Ferreira's side is among the likely candidates to be relegated in May. As the season approaches its crucial stage, they find themselves in the relegation zone.

This season, AVS has won merely three of their 22 Primeira Liga matches. They have lost nine and drawn ten, amassing 19 points and occupying the 16th position in the table. They are one point behind 15th - placed Estrela Amadora, which is just above the relegation line.

On the other hand, Sporting Lisbon's Champions League campaign came to an end in midweek as they played out a goalless draw with Borussia Dortmund in the second leg of their knockout-stage playoff clash at the Signal Iduna Park.

However, a 3-0 defeat in the first leg was more than enough to send the German powerhouse through to the round of 16 as Sporting failed to win any of their six matches since kicking off the campaign with back-to-back victories over Sturm Graz and Manchester City in the group stages.

Rui Borges's men now turn their focus to the Primeira Liga, where they were held to a second consecutive share of the spoils last Saturday, when they played out a 2-2 draw with Arouca at the Estadio Jose Alvalade.

With that result, the Leoes are unbeaten in nine back-to-back league matches without defeat, picking up five wins and four draws since a 2-1 defeat against Moreirense at the Parque de Jogos Comendador Joaquim de Almeida Freitas on December 5.

Sporting Lisbon have picked up 52 points from their 22 Primeira Liga matches so far to lead the way at the top of the league standings, two points above rivals Benfica in second-place and five above third-placed Braga outside the Champions League qualifying places.

While Sporting will be looking to bounce back from their Champions League heartbreak this weekend, it is worth noting that they have failed to win seven of their eight away matches across all competitions since the start of December.

Sporting will head into the weekend without several players down the spine of the team as the trio of Jerry St. Juste, Geny Catamo and Portuguese international Pedro Goncalves have been ruled out through muscle injuries.

Ousmane Diomande and Morten Hjulmand are both suspended and will sit out Sunday's clash while 25-year-old Daniel Braganca is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering a cruciate ligament injury.

Key attacking duo Francisco Trincao and Viktor Gyokeres are also a doubt, having missed the midweek tie against Dortmund through injuries while Nuno Santos has been ruled out since October through a knee problem.

AVS have their fair share of injury concerns as experienced defender Kiki Silva is set to sit out his fifth consecutive game since coming off injured against Nacional back in January.

He is joined on the club's injured table by 28-year-old Eric Veiga while Georgian midfielder Giorgio Aburjania has been sidelined since picking up a severe injury against Famalicao in November.

AVS possible starting lineup:

Ochoa; Tavares, Santos, Devenish, Rodrigues; Grau, Assuncao, Lopes, Piazon, Mercado; Rodrigues

Sporting Lisbon possible starting lineup:

Silva; Fresneda, Debast, Inacio, Araujo; Brito, Simoes; Quaresma, Biel, Quenda; Harder