2022-23 Portuguese Primeira Liga
When is Sporting Lisbon vs Benfica on and what time does it start? Sporting Lisbon vs Benfica will take place on Sunday 21st May, 2023 – 20:30 (UK)
Where can I get tickets for Sporting Lisbon vs Benfica? Visit each club’s official website for the latest ticket information
What channel is Sporting Lisbon vs Benfica on in the UK? Some Portuguese Primeira Liga matches are televised on either BT Sport or Viaplay Sports in the UK so it is worth checking their schedules
Where can I Sporting Lisbon vs Benfica in the UK? If televised on either BT Sport or Viaplay Sports, the match can be streamed on their respective streaming platforms
THE LOWDOWN
Sporting Lisbon
Under the impressive management of Ruben Amorim, Sporting CP have endured a season of surprising underperformance. Their chances of finishing in the top three and gaining UEFA Champions League qualification have been taken out of their hands.
The capital city club begin this weekend’s round of fixtures sitting four points behind Artur Jorge’s Sporting Braga with just two games of the 2022/23 Primeira Liga season to go. They do come into this on the back of some good form though having enjoyed four successive victories and they have suffered just one defeat in their last 18 matches in all competitions.
If Braga win away at mid-table Boavista then Sporting will become the only member of ‘Os Tres Grandes’ to not qualify for the UEFA Champions League this season. Any Braga slip up will open the door for Sporting, though.
Benfica
If Famalicao manage to defeat Porto on Saturday evening then Benfica will be crowned champions before they play on Sunday. If Porto, as is expected, manage to defeat Famalicao then Roger Schmidt’s Benfica can wrap up the Portuguese title against their arch city rivals, Sporting CP.
The Eagles come into this on the back of a 5-1 thrashing of bottom-half Portimonense in their most recent outing, last weekend. That victory has continued Benfica’s recovery from a major dip in form during April when they were beaten by Internazionale in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League, as well as back-to-back Primeira Liga defeats to Porto and Chaves.
That aforementioned rout of Portimonense began in the fourth minute, via Alex Grimaldo, and didn’t end until deep into the 90 minutes. Portimonense pulled a goal back when 2-0 down by Goncalo Ramos and a late Petar Musa brace ensured Benfica a mauling win.
THE PREDICTION
The Derby de Lisboa is a massive game anyway, regardless of what is riding on it, but it just so happens that both sides are desperate for a victory this weekend. Sporting CP will be reliant on Sporting Braga dropping points at Boavista but the motivation for victory will remain anyway because they will seek to avoid having Benfica celebrate the Primeira Liga title on their patch. For Benfica, the aim is clear: win the title in your own city but at the Jose Alvalade. This should be a tense and nervy encounter but both sides head into it in good form so both teams scoring would seem a good bet.
