Preview: Sporting Lisbon vs. Santa Clara - prediction, team news, lineups

Ruben Amorim's side edged out Arsenal to reach the quarter-finals of the Europa League last time out and will be looking to pick up where they dropped off before the international.

Match preview

Sporting Lisbon turned in a resilient team performance as they edged out Premier League leaders Arsenal on penalties in the second leg of their Europa League last-16 clash just before the international break.

Following a 2-2 draw at the Estadio Jose Alvalade on March 9, Granit Xhaka put the Gunners ahead in the 19th minute, but Pedro Goncalves restored parity with a stunning long-range effort in the second half before the Portuguese outfit picked up a 5-3 win on penalties.

Sporting Lisbon, who have been drawn against Juventus in the Europa League quarter-finals, now turn their sights to the Primeira Liga, where they picked up a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Boavista on March 12.

Amorim's men have now won four consecutive league matches, seeing off Chaves, Estoril Praia, Portimonense and Boavista while scoring nine goals and keeping three clean sheets since February's 2-1 loss against rivals Porto.

Barring their defeat against Porto, the Leoes have now won nine of their last 10 league matches on home turf, where they have picked up 30 points from 12 games so far.

With 50 points from 24 games, Sporting Lisbon are currently fourth in the Primeira Liga standings, six points off third-placed Braga in the Champions League qualification playoff spot.

Santa Clara, on the other hand, suffered another blow in their relegation scrap as they fell to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Rio Ave when the sides squared off on March 17.

In a one-sided affair at the Estadio de Sao Miguel, an own goal from Italo and Leonardo Ruiz's 73rd-minute strike helped the Vilacondenses pick up a second straight win for the first time since November.

Since salvaging a 2-2 draw with Boavista on February 4, Danildo Accioly's men have now lost six straight matches while scoring three goals and shipping 12 in that time.

Santa Clara have also now gone 16 consecutive matches without a win across all competitions, losing 13 and claiming three draws since November's 3-1 victory over Estoril Praia.

With 15 points from 25 matches, Os Acoreanos are currently rooted to the bottom of the Primeira League standings, but could leapfrog Maritimo and Pacos de Ferreira into the relegation playoff spot with all three points this weekend.

However, they face the stern challenge of taking on a Sporting Lisbon side who are on a three-game winning streak between the sides and have won nine of their last 10 encounters since November 2018.

Sporting Lisbon Primeira Liga form:

W

L

W

W

W

W

Sporting Lisbon form (all competitions):

W

W

W

D

W

W

Santa Clara Primeira Liga form:

L

L

L

L

L

L

Team News

Sporting Lisbon remain without Portuguese midfielder Daniel Braganca, who continues his rehabilitation after suffering a cruciate ligament rupture last May.

He is joined on the Leoes' injury table by former Arsenal and Barcelona full-back Hector Bellerin, who has missed the last three matches through a knee problem.

Goncalves has been one of the standout performers for Sporting this season and the Portuguese international, who has 12 goals and six assists in the league alone, will certainly be one to look out for.

Meanwhile, Santa Clara will take to the pitch without the services of 24-year-old forward Ricardinho, who sustained a muscle injury in January's clash against Benfica.

The Portuguese duo of Marco Rocha and Tomas Domingos are also recuperating from hamstring and knee injuries respectively and will play no part in Saturday's matchup.

Sporting Lisbon possible starting lineup:

Adan; Juste, Diomande, Inacio; Esgaio, Ugarte; ReisGoncalves; Edwards, Paulinho, Trincao

Santa Clara possible starting lineup:

Batista; Calila, Nogueira, Italo, Fagundes; Jordao, Firmino, Misao; Rildo, Gonzalez, Allano

We say: Sporting Lisbon 3-0 Santa Clara

Given the gulf in quality and experience between the two sides, Sporting Lisbon will fancy their chances against bottom-dwellers Santa Clara. Buoyed by their impressive result over Arsenal in Europe, we predict Amorim's men will continue where they dropped off last time out and claim a comfortable home victory.

Previews by email