Sporting Lisbon play host to Braga on Sunday evening looking to secure the win that will see them keep pace with Porto at the top of the Primeira Liga table.
Meanwhile, Braga find themselves all the way down in seventh position after seven games and in desperate need of a victory that would kick-start their domestic campaign.
Both teams were in European action in midweek, Sporting succumbing to a 2-1 defeat at Napoli in the Champions League and Braga prevailing 2-0 at Celtic in the Europa League.
How do the bookies see it: Sporting justified heavy favourites?
Despite Braga's exploits on Thursday, bookmakers Boylesports have priced Sporting as the 4/9 favourites for this contest.
As for the visitors, they are all the way out at 5/1, with the draw being priced at 10/3.
Sporting have scored 10 goals across their three home games in the Primeira Liga, but Braga are unbeaten in three away fixtures.
Head to head: Sporting dominate, lack of draws
In 49 previous matches between these two teams, Sporting have prevailed on 29 occasions, losing 14 times.
As such, there have been just six draws, but two of the last five matches between these sides have ended in a 1-1 stalemate.
Sporting have not suffered a home defeat to Braga since January 2022, yet there have incredibly been three 5-0 wins at Estadio Jose Alvalade since then.
Furthermore, Sporting are on a three-game unbeaten streak against Braga, netting 10 times during that period.
Players to watch: Sporting duo to continue hot streak?
Sporting have netted 19 times in their seven Primeira Liga fixtures this season, both Pote and Luis Suarez scoring five times apiece.
They also have a combined total of five assists between them, and Braga will need to focus heavily on the pair this weekend.
Eighteen-year-old Geovany Quenda – a future Chelsea signing – also has one goal and four assists, but he has gone three matches without contributing either.
Goals have not been Braga's forte this season, but chief creator Ricardo Horta has netted three times in all competitions, one of which came against Celtic on Thursday.
Predicted lineups: Sporting stars to return?
Suarez is highly likely to return to the Sporting attack in place of Fotis Ioannidis, but that may only represent one of several changes.
Zeno Debast, Hidemasa Morita and Pote should also be recalled by Rui Borges as he bids to head into the October international break on a high.
Carlos Vicens changed half of his Braga XI for the game at Celtic and it subsequently led to their best result of the season.
While alterations could again be made due to the quick turnaround, the likes of centre-back Vitor Carvalho and midfield duo Jean-Baptiste Gorby and Florian Grillitsch are all pushing for opportunities after impressing in Glasgow.
Amine El Quazzani may also get the nod down the centre of the attack.
Sporting Lisbon: Silva; Fresenda, Debast, Inacio, Araujo; Hjulmand, Morita; Pote, Trincao, Catamo; Suarez
Braga: Hornicek; Lagerbielke, Carvalho, Arrey-Mbi; Gomez, Gorby, Grillitsch, Lelo; Zalazar, Horta; El Quazzani
Anything else catch the eye?
Sporting have scored in their last nine matches in all competitions. However, they have only netted once in three of their last six outings.
Furthermore, Sporting only have two clean sheets from seven games, both of which have been posted on familiar territory.
Braga are unbeaten on their travels since the start of the season, a run of seven fixtures given their exploits in the Europa League qualifying rounds.
Vicens' side have kept clean sheets in four of those encounters.
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