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

With their Primeira Liga title hopes on the cusp of going down the drain, Sporting Lisbon are back in action on Wednesday when they go head to head with bottom-dwellers Tondela at the Estadio Jose Alvalade.

While the minimum target for the Leoes will be to secure automatic qualification to the Champions League, Tondela find themselves scrambling for safety at the wrong end of the table and will be looking to kickstart their surge from the danger zone.

Match preview

Having gone unbeaten in 11 of their 12 matches between January 16 and April 3, Sporting Lisbon have run out of steam in crunch time, with the Leoes failing to win five of their most recent six games, a run which has seen their season take a turn for the worse.

Despite their valiant display, Rui Borges’s men were dumped out of the Champions League a fortnight ago courtesy of a 1-0 aggregate defeat against Premier League side Arsenal, bringing an end to their search for a first European title since clinching the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup back in 1964.

Back home, while Sporting Lisbon held their own to see out a 1-0 on aggregate victory over Porto on April 22 and reach the final of the Taca de Portugal, a run of one point from their most recent two Primeira Liga matches has all but ended their title hopes.

Sporting Lisbon’s 24-game unbeaten streak in the league came to an end on April 19, when they fell to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of rivals Benfica in the heated Derby de Lisboa, before playing out a disappointing 1-1 stalemate with rock-bottom AVS last Sunday.

Following a goalless first-half at the Estadio do CD das Aves, Rafael Nel broke the deadlock two minutes after the break to put the visitors on course to a much-needed victory, but Pedro Lima hit back for AVS from the penalty spot in the 66th minute to force a share of the spoils.

This drop-off in form has seen Borges’s side fall into third place in the Primeira Liga standings, 10 points off league leaders Porto and three behind second-placed Benfica in the second automatic Champions League qualifying spot, albeit with one game in hand.

Not only must Sporting Lisbon deliver a perfect run in their final four matches, but they will also need favourable results in the other league fixtures if they are to emerge champions and successfully defend the title for a third consecutive season.

At the opposite end of the table, Tondela know anything less than a positive result at the Estadio Jose Alvalade could all but end their survival hopes as they head into the final four games in the automatic relegation zone.

The Gold and Green were left empty-handed yet again last Saturday as they fell to a 2-0 defeat against a rejuvenated Nacional side when the two teams squared off at the Estadio Joao Cardoso.

One week on from a 2-0 loss against Porto at the Estadio do Dragoes, Tondela found themselves trailing once again when Jesus Ramirez opened the scoring in the 22nd minute to put Nacional in front, before Brayan Medina netted a 31st-minute own goal to double the visitors’ lead.

Goncalo Feio’s men have failed to taste victory in their most recent seven matches, losing four and claiming three draws, and have managed just one win in their 14 games since kicking off the year with a 3-1 home victory over Arouca on January 3.

Having gained promotion from the Segunda Liga last term to end a three-year absence from the top flight, Tondela find themselves in serious risk of going back down, as they sit 17th in the Primeira Liga table with 21 points from 30 games, seven points away from safety, albeit with one game in hand.

While Feio's side will be looking to stop the rot on Wednesday and begin their surge from the doldrums, they face the stern challenge of an opposing side who have won each of their last eight encounters, a run stretching back to November 2019, when they fell to a 1-0 loss at the Estadio Joao Cardoso.

Sporting Lisbon Primeira Liga form:

Sporting Lisbon form (all competitions):

Tondela Primeira Liga form:

Team News

Sporting Lisbon are dealing with an injury crisis down the final decisive stretch of the season, as Ivan Fresnada (muscle), Fotis Ioannidis (knee) and Nuno Santos (hamstring) all continue their spells on the sidelines.

Teenage midfielder Joao Simoes recently suffered a metatarsal fracture and is set to be ruled out until June, while the key duo of Morten Hjulmand and defender Goncalo Inacio remain injury doubts, having missed the game against AVS last time out.

As for Tondela, Feio will be unable to name 26-year-old defender Tiago Manso, who is set to serve a one-game suspension after crossing the yellow card threshold with his booking against Nacional at the weekend.

On the injury front, Rodrigo Conceicao was forced off injured midway through the first half against Nacional and the Portuguese defender is also out of contention for the trip to the Estadio Jose Alvalade.

He is joined on the club’s injury table by Cicero, who has been out of action since sustaining a muscle injury back in March, while Spanish midfielder Xabier Huarte continues his spell on the sidelines since coming off injured in March.

Sporting Lisbon possible starting lineup:

Silva; Quaresma, Diomande, Debast, Araujo; Kochorashvili, Morita, Catamo; Trincao, Goncalves, Suarez

Tondela possible starting lineup:

Bernardo; Maviram, Medina, Silva, Bebeto; Van der Heide, Rodriguez, Hodge; Ouattara, Lopes, Siebatcheu

We say: Sporting Lisbon 3-0 Tondela

Both Sporting Lisbon and Tondela need the win on Wednesday, with the Leoes looking to keep their slim title hopes alive while the visitors are aiming to climb out of danger, and this makes for an exciting battle at the Estadio Jose Alvalade.

Despite their injury woes, Sporting Lisbon still boast a superior and more experienced squad on paper, and given their dominance in this fixture, we are backing them to come away with all three points unscathed.

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