Preview: Sporting Lisbon vs AVS - prediction, team news, lineups

Off the back of a humbling Champions League defeat against German giants Bayern Munich, Sporting Lisbon will look to restore some pride as they take on AVS on their return to Primeira Liga action on Saturday.

The Vila das Aves outfit, who are the only side yet to taste victory in the Primeira Liga this season, sit rock-bottom in the league standings and are in for another tough 90 minutes at the Estadio Jose Alvalade.

Match preview

Sporting Lisbon were guilty of a second-half collapse in their Champions League tie against Bayern Munich as they failed to take the game by the scruff of the neck after going ahead in the 54th minute.

Following a goalless first half at the Allianz Arena, Joshua Kimmich turned the ball into his net to gift Sporting the lead in the 54th minute, but Serge Gnabry, Lennart Karl and Jonathan Tah netted in a 12-minute spell to fire Bayern to a 3-1 victory.

Sporting Lisbon had gone unbeaten in their previous 12 matches, claiming nine wins and three draws, with their last defeat also coming on the continental scene when they lost 2-1 against Italian outfit Napoli on October 1.

Rui Borges’s men now turn their focus to the Primeira Liga, where they are firmly in the title mix, sitting second in the league table with 32 points from 13 games, five points off leaders Porto and three above Benfica in third place.

The Leoes dropped two points in their most recent Primeira Liga assignment, as they played out a 1-1 draw with rivals Benfica last Friday, when Georgiy Sudakov and Pedro Goncalves netted for either side to force a share of the spoils at the Estadio da Luz.

However, Sporting Lisbon head into Saturday’s tie unbeaten in nine Primeira Liga matches on the trot, claiming seven wins and two draws since a 2-1 home defeat at the hands of league leaders Porto back in August.

On the other hand, 13 games into the 2025-26 Primeira Liga campaign, AVS are still searching for their first league victory in what has been a challenging debut in the Portuguese top flight.

Having edged out Portimonense in promotion play-offs last season, Joao Pedro Sousa’s men find themselves rock-bottom in the league table, claiming three draws and losing 10, including last Saturday’s 2-1 defeat against Rio Ave on home turf.

In that encounter, Brazilian forward Clayton put AVS to the sword, netting his ninth and 10th league goals of the campaign, including a 93rd-minute winner, to fire hand Rio Ave all three points at the Estadio do CD das Aves.

With just seven goals scored this season, AVS are in for a daunting challenge this weekend against a Sporting Lisbon side, who boast the third-best defensive record in the league, having conceded just seven goals so far.

The Vila das Aves outfit have also shipped a staggering 31 goals at the opposite end of the pitch, the highest number of goals conceded in the Primeira Liga this season after fellow strugglers Arouca’s 37.

Sporting Lisbon Primeira Liga form:

Sporting Lisbon form (all competitions):

AVS Primeira Liga form:

AVS form (all competitions):

Team News

Sporting Lisbon have been plagued with injuries, as the likes of Daniel Braganca (knee), Nuno Santos (knee) and Zeno Debast (muscle) continue their spells on the sidelines.

Goncalo Inacio, teenage sensation Geovany Quenda and Portuguese forward Goncalves all missed the midweek clash against Bayern and are questionable for Saturday’s tie.

Defender Ousmane Diomande and 24-year-old forward Geny Catamo have been called up to the Ivory Coast and Mozambique’s Africa Cup of Nations squads respectively, and should both make their final club appearances this weekend before joining up with the national team.

Meanwhile, AVS will take to the pitch without Spanish midfielder Jaume Grau, who has been ruled out through suspension after picking up a red card against Rio Ave last weekend.

On the injury front, Sousa will be unable to call upon the services of 25-year-old Guillem Molina and Brazilian defender Aderllan Santos, who both continue their spells on the sidelines.

Sporting Lisbon possible starting lineup:

Silva; Fresneda, Diomande, Inacio, Araujo; Morita, Hjulmand; Catamo, Santos, Simoes; Suarez

AVS possible starting lineup:

Goncalves; Ponck, Semedo, Devenish; Neiva, Assuncao, Algobia, Galletto, Kiki; Tomane, Perea

We say: Sporting Lisbon 3-0 AVS

Still licking their wounds from the midweek defeat against Bayern, Sporting Lisbon will head into Saturday’s tie looking to quickly bounce back and move within two points of Porto at the top of the table.

Borges’s men are up against an out-of-sorts AVS side, who have struggled to get going in the big leagues, and we are backing them to secure all three points in front of their home supporters unscathed.

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