Sporting Lisbon vs Rio Ave Prediction & Betting Tips - Liga Portugal

Prediction published on 09/08/2024, 06:21  by Kennedy Kechula in Liga Portugal Predictions

Sporting Lisbon’s title defence in the Primeira Liga starts this Friday with a home match against Rio Ave. These two sides were separated by over 50 points at the close of the league last season. Read on for our preview of this match and a prediction.

Sporting seeks to extend their dominance in this fixture. While they enter this game as the favorites, the hosts will be expected to do better than in their 3-3 draw the last time the two sides met. In that encounter, Sporting had to come from behind twice to earn a point.

However, they maintained their unbeaten run of eight matches against their visitors. Sporting are also undefeated in 24 league matches at home and won each of the last 17. Their powerful home run also saw them finish last season with three straight clean sheets.

Rio Ave will look to pile pressure on Sporting after an unfortunate start to this season saw them lose 4-3 to archrivals Porto in the Super Cup. The visitors finished low last season, and that will be an area they want to improve on.

With 37 points to end the campaign, they were just five points above the relegation zone. It wasn’t great in preseason either, losing three of their last four matches and this will be a tough start. The last time Rio Ave won in this fixture was back in 2019, in a League Cup game.

In the last six meetings with Sporting, Rio Ave lost five times. They come into this game unbeaten in 12 league matches but won only twice. Their form away from home was even poorer, Rio Ave going winless all season in the league. In their last 21 away league matches, Rio Ave have no win.