Preview: Pacos de Ferreira vs Sporting Lisbon - prediction, team news, lineups

Sporting Lisbon begin the defence of their Taca de Portugal crown with a trip to second-division side Pacos de Ferreira this Saturday.

The Lions lifted the domestic cup for an 18th time after edging city rivals Benfica in the final to round off a triumphant 2024-25 campaign.

Match preview

Following a remarkable season in which they claimed both the league and domestic cup, Sporting now face the challenge of matching or even surpassing those heights, despite the departure of a key figure in attack.

Viktor Gyokeres netted 54 times for the Lions in 2024-25, including a stoppage-time equaliser in the Taca de Portugal final against Benfica, before Rui Borges’s men sealed the trophy with two extra-time strikes in a 3-1 win.

Although the Swedish forward has since joined Arsenal, the reigning champions have managed to keep pace at the top of the Primeira Liga this term and even outscoring a free-scoring Porto side that dropped points for the first time this season just before the international break.

The Lions currently occupy second spot, three points behind the leaders, after a 1-1 home draw with Braga prior to the break, so the pursuit of multiple domestic titles remains alive in these early stages, with Borges’s side also set to begin their League Cup campaign against Alverca later this month.

Attention now turns to advancing in the Taca de Portugal against a familiar opponent, with Sporting having won all of their last 15 encounters with Pacos, while keeping clean sheets in the most recent eight.

Current momentum makes this task even steeper for the hosts, who have managed only one win from eight outings across all competitions this season, though just two have ended in defeat.

Pacenses’s only success so far in 2025-26 came in a 1-0 victory over lower-tier side Nazarenos in the second round of the Taca de Portugal, where an early strike from Anilson made the difference.

Pacos have reached this stage of the competition in consecutive campaigns, but their best-ever run came back in 2008-09, when the Beavers narrowly lost to Porto in the final.

Filipe Candido’s men head into this fixture after a 2-2 draw with Oliveirense in the Portuguese Liga 2, a result that left them 16th in the table but extended an unbeaten run to four games (W1, D3), and the hosts will hope that sequence counts for something against their toughest opponent of the season.

Pacos de Ferreira Taca de Portugal form:

Pacos de Ferreira form (all competitions):

Sporting Lisbon form (all competitions):

Team News

Striker Diego Fernandes, who was withdrawn in the first half last time out, is unlikely to start, with Joao Victor — who came off the bench to find the net — expected to lead the line.

Joao Caiado should also be handed a start in midfield after coming off the bench to grab a stoppage-time equaliser for Pacenses.

Second-choice goalkeeper Jeimes featured in the previous round, but with the Brazilian absent from the last squad, Marafona is expected to start between the sticks here.

For Sporting, Daniel Braganca and Nuno Santos appear the only absentees, meaning Borges has an almost full squad to select from.

However, given as many as 11 players have just returned from international commitments, a heavily rotated lineup is likely compared to the one that faced Braga.

Joao Virginia should start in goal, while Ousmane Diomande — recently back from injury — could be eased in for match fitness, with Eduardo Quaresma also in contention for defensive minutes.

In midfield, Giorgi Kochorashvili and Geny Catamo are both expected to feature, while Geovany Quenda may start on the flank once again, having remained with the club during the break.

Pacos de Ferreira possible starting lineup:

Marafona; Dias, Vieira, Cardoso, Anilson; Fernandinho, Cunha, Caiado; Costinha, J Victor, Afonso

Sporting Lisbon possible starting lineup:

Virgínia; Fresneda, Diamonde, Quaresma, Manga; Catamo, Hjulmand, Kochorashvili; Quenda, Ioannidis, A Santos

We say: Pacos de Ferreira 0-3 Sporting Lisbon

Even with potential rotation, Sporting’s strength in depth should make the difference, and anything less than a comfortable win would come as a major surprise against a side the Lions have consistently dominated over the past decade.

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