Rio Ave vs Sporting Lisbon Prediction

An in-form Rio Ave will look to take advantage of a delicate Sporting Lisbon when the league leaders visit the Estadio do Rio Ave Futebol Clube on Saturday.

Rio Ave have seen a significant upturn in form in recent months, collecting three of their five total league wins in the last six weeks. Combining this with a run to the quarter finals of the Taca de Portugal, they have suddenly become a side more than capable of causing an upset.

Comparatively, the last two months or so have been less than kind to Sporting. Losing Ruben Amorim at the start of November, his replacement was sacked just six weeks later after losing four in a row, while picking up just two wins. While they have started to get things back on track, they are still vulnerable following their wobble.

As the game approaches, here is everything you need to know about both sides ahead of kick-off.

Key Statistics

• Rio Ave have scored more goals (8) in their last five matches than Sporting Lisbon (7). However, they have also failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 8 games.
• However, only two Rio Ave players have netted more than once in the Liga Portugal: Clayton (9), and Brandon Aguilera (2).
• Sporting Lisbon are the top scoring team in the Liga Portugal this season with 48 goals in 17 games.
• Sporting’s ViKtor Gyokeres sits 8 goals clear at the top of the golden boot standings with 21 goals.

Rio Ave Preview

Rio Ave Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1): Cezary Miszta (GK); Omar Richards, Aderllan Santos, Francisco Petrasso, Marios Vrousai; Demir Tiknaz, Martim Neto; Kiki Bondoso, Joao Novais, Brandon Aguilera; Clayton.

With 20 points from 17 games, Rio Ave find themselves in the very congested section of the table that sees 9th placed Famalicao just five points ahead of 16th placed Arouca.

Teams who find themselves in this lower mid-table battle know that one good result can dramatically shift their position in the table, although they are also aware of what happens if they fail to win.

Rio Ave will be face to face with that scenario against Sporting on Saturday. The leaders are certainly not at their best, but they will still enter the match as firm favourites, and Rio Ave will need to focus on trying to defend a point at their home ground.

Sporting Lisbon Preview

Sporting Lisbon Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1): Franco Israel (GK); Matheus, Jerry St. Juste, Ousmane Diomande, Eduardo Quaresma; Joao Simoes, Morten Hjulmand; Geovany Quenda, Trincao, Geny Catamo; Viktor Gyokeres.

Since Rui Borges came in to replace Amorim replacement Joao Pereira, Sporting are unbeaten in normal time over the course of their last three games, only losing to Benfica in the League Cup via penalties.

What is more, they seem to have found their scoring touch again, underlined by a frenzied 4-4 draw with Vitoria de Guimaraes. Most importantly, they have played Benfica twice and Porta once since December 29th, and in winning two of those games, reminded themselves that they belong at the top.

Those results have banished recent memories of bad form, but with their slump being so recent, it would only take a little bit of adversity to bring it bubbling up to the surface again. Sporting must remain composed if they are to fall behind to Rio Ave, otherwise things could unravel for them.

Rio Ave vs Sporting Lisbon Head to Head

Recent Meetings:

• 09/08/2024: Sporting 3-1 Rio Ave.
• 25/02/2024: Rio Ave 3-3 Sporting.
• 25/09/2023: Sporting 2-0 Rio Ave.
• 06/02/2023: Rio Ave 0-1 Sporting.
• 07/12/2022: Rio Ave 0-2 Sporting.

Rio Ave vs Sporting Lisbon Betting Tip

Despite an overall impressive recent run of games, Sporting will be wary of Porto and Benfica, one and three points behind respectively, and will know they cannot afford to slip up away to Rio Ave.

We reckon the nerves of staying at the top will get the better of them, and they will indeed slip up. They will pick up a point and avoid defeat, but in doing so will give the upper hand to Porto, who could move top with a win over Gil Vicente on Sunday.

Rio Ave vs Sporting Lisbon Final Prediction

Rio Ave 2-2 Sporting Lisbon

While the game will be quite the spectacle for neutral followers, both sets of fines will be watching through their fingers. It will be an end to end game, with the final score only decided at the very end.