Preview: Casa Pia vs. Sporting Lisbon - prediction, team news, lineups

Ruben Amorim's men will head into the weekend looking to do the double over the home side, having cruised to a 3-1 victory in October's reverse fixture.

Match preview

Casa Pia suffered a slip-up in their race for a place in Europe as they fell to a 3-1 defeat against Vizela when the sides squared off at the Estadio do FC Vizela last Saturday.

Rafael Martins put the visitors ahead midway through the first half, but own goals from Nermin Zolotic and Joao Nunes helped the Vizelenses comeback before substitute Friday Etim made sure of the result with an 87th-minute effort.

With that result, Casa Pia have now failed to win their six Primeira Liga away games since turn of the year, losing five and claiming one draw since a 2-1 win at Portimonense on December 28.

However, Filipe Martins's side now return home, where they are on a run of four consecutive games without defeat, picking up three wins and one draw since January's 3-1 loss against Gil Vicente.

With 38 points from 26 games, Os Gansos are currently eighth in the Primeira Liga standings, level on points with seventh-placed Vizela and three points off the Conference League qualification spot.

Sporting Lisbon, on the other hand, were dealt another blow in their quest for an automatic Champions League spot as they were held to a goalless draw by Gil Vicente on Wednesday.

The Leoes were uncharacteristically spineless at the attacking end of the pitch as they saw their seven-game winning streak against Daniel Sousa's men come to an end.

Sporting Lisbon were previously on a run of five consecutive Primeira Liga wins and had found the target in 12 straight matches since January's 2-0 loss against Porto in the Taca da Liga final.

The 19-time Portuguese champions have now picked up 17 wins, three draws and lost six of their 26 games to collect 54 points and sit fourth in the league table, five points off third-placed Braga.

With the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final clash with Juventus on the horizon, Sporting will head into the weekend looking to bounce back and pick up a morale-boosting result.

Casa Pia Primeira Liga form:

D

L

W

L

W

L

Sporting Lisbon Primeira Liga form:

W

W

W

W

W

D

Sporting Lisbon form (all competitions):

W

D

W

W

W

D

Team News

Casa Pia remain without Brazilian forward Leo Natel, who continues his long spell on the sidelines after picking up a season-ending ACL injury in November.

Saviour Godwin and 36-year-old defender Vasco Fernandes are both suspended after crossing the yellow card threshold with their bookings in Saturday's defeat to Vizela.

Sporting Lisbon, on the other hand, will be without the attacking duo of Jovane Cabral and Paulinho, who are currently recuperating from muscle injuries.

Former Arsenal and Barcelona full-back Hector Bellerin has missed the last five matches through a knee problem and will play no part in this weekend's clash.

Portuguese midfielder Daniel Braganca is also sidelined for the visitors as he continues his rehabilitation after suffering a cruciate ligament rupture last May.

Casa Pia possible starting lineup:

Souza; Nunes, Varela, Zolotic; Lelo, Taira, Mukendi, Poloni; Soma, Martins, Clayton

Sporting Lisbon possible starting lineup:

Adan; Diomande, Inacio, Reis; Gomes, Goncalves, Ugarte, Santos; Edwards, Rochinha, Trincao

We say: Casa Pia 0-2 Sporting Lisbon

With their respective European qualification ambitions on the line, we anticipate a thrilling contest at the Estadio Pina Manique. While Casa Pia will be looking to make it three straight home wins, Amorim's side boasts the firepower needed to get this one over the line and we are backing them to claim all three points.

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