Sporting are aiming to follow up their Primeira Liga title triumph by claiming more silverware as they face Benfica in the Taca de Portugal final at the Estadio de Honra on Sunday evening.
Sporting beat runners-up Benfica by just two points in the league, which suggests that we could have a close contest when they face off in the cup. The title winners will be fancied by some, but Benfica will be desperate to get one over on them and claim silverware themselves.
A 1-1 draw away to Braga in the final round of league fixtures did detriment their chances of winning the title, although it did extend their unbeaten run in all competitions to 12 games. Sporting are on an even longer unbeaten streak, as their 2-0 win at home to Vitoria on the final day meant they have now remain undefeated in 17 matches over all competitions.
Recent H2Hs have been tight between the pair, with both triumphing once each and a draw coming in the previous three meetings. That stalemate came in their most recent clash earlier this month.
How the bookies view it: Benfica surprise favourites?
BoyleSports actually have Benfica as slight 5/4 favourites to win in normal time, with a draw priced at 23/10 and a Sporting victory at 7/4. Given their league triumph, we feel inclined to back Sporting here at those odds.
Recent head-to-head: Spoils shared
As mentioned, the last H2H ended in a 1-1 draw not long ago. Sporting took an early lead through Trincao, before Kerem Akturkoglu equalised for Benfica just after the hour mark.
Players to watch: All eyes on Gyokeres
Alvaro Carreras will play his last game for Benfica as the left-back is set to join Real Madrid this summer.
Viktor Gyokeres has also been linked with a move away from Sporting, with Arsenal reportedly one of a number of clubs thought to be keen on his signature. The Swede could leave with a parting gift, and can be backed at 5/4 with BoyleSports to score anytime.
Predicted lineups
Benfica may be without as many as four key players due to injury with Alexander Bah, Manu Silva, Renato Sanches and Zeki Amdouni all expected to miss out.
Sporting will not be without as many players, but Daniel Braganca, Joao Simoes and Nuno Santos are all expected to be sidelined with injury.
Benfica: Trubin, Carreras, Otamendi, Silva, Araujo, Kokcu, Luis, Barreiro, Schjelderup, Pavilidis, Akturkoglu.
Sporting: Silva, Inacio, Diomande, Quaresma, Araujo, Morita, Debast, Catamo, Goncalves, Trincao, Gyokeres.
Anything else catch the eye?
Only one of the last nine H2Hs have not seen both teams score, so we feel comfortable in backing the Both Teams To Score (BTTS) market here. BoyleSports are offering 11/20 odds for such an outcome in what would be a safer bet among our other recommendations.
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