PREVIEW E. Amadora-Sporting: without stumbling on the way to the title

Lions focused on the main objective of the season; This Friday marks 26 years since Estrela, the only time, beat Sporting in Reboleira

Since 2008/2009, Sporting has not played at the José Gomes Stadium, in Reboleira, a field where, traditionally, the Lions do well. In fact, this Friday is precisely 26 years since Estrela’s only home victory against the Alvalade team, in a game on the 27th round, with Fernando Santos in technical command of the tricolors, and in which Renato Anjos was the executioner , scoring the two winning goals (2-1).

Today, Sporting arrives at Reboleira as leaders (with one game less) to face an Estrela team that is in the second half of the league table (13th place), with the lions on alert, after having gone through a bad time in the first leg, in Alvalade (3-2).

Remember that for this game, which has Starting scheduled for 8:30 pm, referee Fábio Veríssimo (AF Leiria) was appointed, with Pedro Martins and Hugo Marques as assistants. The 4th referee is Diogo Rosa and in VAR/AVAR there will be Rui Costa/Nuno Manso.

E. AMADORA

Playing at home, with nothing to lose, taking into account that favoritism is all on Sporting’s side, the tricolor team will present itself with a system of three central players, with the aim of fitting into the opponent’s game and, of course, trying to surprise.

In a peculiar field, due to its size and fervent atmosphere in the stands, the home team will try to make use of arguments to, at least, score. In Alvalade, in the first round, remember, he sold well despite defeat.

Probable eleven: Bruno Brígido; Kialonda Gaspar, Miguel Lopes and Diogo Fonseca; Nanu, Aloísio Souza, Léo Cordeiro and Rúben Lima; Régis, Léo Jabá and Kikas.

Injured: João Reis, Rodrigo Pinho and Gustavo Henrique.

What coach Sérgio Vieira said: «I think it’s a very strong team, whether it’s the best or not is always very subjective, but the data proves that. In our opinion, I think so, at the moment it is a team that stands above all others not only due to the position it occupies in the table, but also due to some statistical data that prove the qualitative part, the quality of its processes and the potential of individualities, the players who really stand out and who are then valued not only on a national but also an international level.”

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SPORTING

After the break for national team commitments, Sporting enters the decisive phase of the championship with full focus on the main objective: winning the national title. At the start of the 27th round, the lions have a point advantage over second-placed Benfica, but with one game in hand (they face Famalicão on April 16) with Rúben Amorim’s warning that there is no margin for stumbles.

Rúben Amorim should once again join the squad’s top scorers: Gyokeres (36) and Paulinho (16), who have combined… 52 goals this season. Trincão returns to the eleven, after recovering from injury and Gonçalo Inácio will be managed for the derbies. Nuno Santos remains on the wing, otherwise no surprises are expected.

Probable eleven: Franco Israel; Eduardo Quaresma, Coates and Diomande; Geny Catamo, Morita, Hjulmand and Nuno Santos; Trincão, Gyokeres and Paulinho.

Injured: Adán and Pedro Gonçalves.

At risk of exclusion: Hjulmand, Edwards, Nuno Santos, Diomande, Esgaio, Neto and Pedro Gonçalves.

What coach Rúben Amorim said: «Estrela is always difficult, they have very fast players up front. We had problems in the first game here. It was largely due to our positioning, of some players, I won’t say who, but looking at the image of the game, I think we will improve in that aspect. We have to be careful and be as strong as, for example, in the game with Moreirense. Prepare transitions well, be very concentrated, in a game where dead balls also count. We know what we have to do, get back to the mentality of knowing that we cannot lose points.”

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