Benfica vs Sporting Lisbon Preview: Team News & Prediction | 2024-25 Taca de Portugal | Final
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After Sporting CP saw off their Lisbon rivals Benfica in the Portuguese Primeira Liga title race this month, the two Lisbon giants meet again at Estadio Nacional do Jamor in the Portuguese capital in the 2024/25 Taca de Portugal final.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – Not televised / US – beIN Sports
How to watch online: UK – RTP Internacional / US – beIN Sports & Fubo
Benfica preview: Relentless at the end
Benfica started the season a bit shakily under the management of former Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Bruno Lage but he has turned things around and the Eagles only narrowly missed out on regaining the Primeira Liga title, finishing two points behind Sporting CP.
After their 1-1 draw with Sporting a couple of weeks ago in a title decider on the penultimate match day of the campaign, Benfica were then held to a 1-1 draw against Braga on the final day last week with Braga midfielder Joao Moutinho sent off in the 66th minute of that match.
Sporting Lisbon preview: End of an era
Sporting CP have already seen the beginning of the end of this era with Ruben Amorim leaving to Manchester United in November and the likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Pedro Goncalves and Goncalo Inacio are all also expected to be linked heavily with moves away this summer.
Sporting had gone nearly 20 years without winning the league title in Portugal until the 2020/21 title and they have now won three league titles in four years, as well as two Taca da Liga trophies and the Supertaca Candido de Oliveira.
Benfica team news: Couple of injuries
There are a couple of longer term injury issues for Benfica to still be dealing with ahead of the final this weekend as Denmark international defender Alexander Bah is sidelined alongside winter transfer window signing Manu Silva.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Trubin; Araujo, A. Silva, Otamendi, Carreras; Leandro Barreiro, Luis, Kokcu; Akturkoglu, Pavlidis, Schjelderup
Unavailable: Bah (Injured), M. Silva (Injured)
Questionable:
Sporting Lisbon team news: Nothing fresh
The likes of Ricardo Esgaio and Morten Hjulmand will be suspended for the start of next season’s Primeira Liga campaign but are available for the cup final. Ousmane Diomande remains a doubt, whilst both Nuno Santos and Daniel Braganca are out injured.
Predicted XI (X-X-X-X): Silva; Eduardo Quaresma, St. Juste, Inacio; Catamo, Morita, Hjulmand, Maximiliano Araujo; Trincao, Goncalves; Gyokeres
Unavailable: Santos (Injured), Braganca (Injured)
Questionable: Diomande (Injured)
Benfica vs Sporting Lisbon prediction
Benfica head into the final on the back of a 12-match unbeaten run of form across all competitions since losing to Barcelona in the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League. Since losing to Braga in their opening game of this calendar year, Benfica have played 29 matches and only lost to Barca and Santa Clara, including a defeat of Sporting in the final of Taca da Liga. Sporting started the season in the Primeira Liga with 11 successive victories before Amorim’s departure. However, after losing the first two games of the post-Amorim era, they have actually gone unbeaten for the remainder of the league campaign. These are two sides in excellent form that, as shown by their draw the other week, are also evenly matched. It should at least be easy to predict an entertaining final, even if the match result is tough to call.
Benfica vs Sporting Lisbon tip: Both teams to score
