SPORTING CP PREVIEW

Sunderland will play their second match in Portugal, and their fourth of pre-season overall, against Sporting CP at the Estadio Algarve. Here is some background on our opponents.

LAST SEASON

Sporting won Liga Portugal last season and were victorious in almost eighty percent of the matches they played, successfully defending their title after also winning the league the previous year. It was their 21st Primeira Liga title and their first back-to-back league wins since the 1950s. They also did the double by winning the Taca de Portugal (essentially the Portuguese version of our FA Cup). They also placed 23rd in the Champions League which, in the new format of the competition, took them through to the knockouts where they were defeated by Borussia Dortmund.

NOTABLE PLAYERS

Viktor Gyokeres is the man grabbing all the headlines, with his formidable form attracting interest from various clubs – particularly Arsenal, who are reportedly prepared to pay the striker’s 70m release clause. The 27-year-old caused us all kinds of problems back when he was at Coventry, but fortunately for us we won’t have to face him over in Portugal as he’s refusing to train with his current club! It remains to be seen where he’ll be contracted to when we play Sporting.

Away from Gyokeres, Pedro Goncalves looks to be one of their star players, with his goalscoring ability and versatility making him an exceptional player. He can play on either wing or more centrally, just behind the striker. Another noteworthy player is their captain, defensive midfielder Morten Hjulmand. The Denmark international has been praised for his leadership and composure on the pitch. 30 year old left sided midfielder/wing back Nuno Santos also stands out. He’s full of pace, dribbling and accurate crossing into the box. That, accompanied by his work rate and defensive contributions, makes him a key player in their system.

THE STADIUM

We’re actually not playing at the home of Sporting CP. Their ground, the Estadio Jose Alvalade (named after the club’s founder), was opened in 2003 and holds 50,000+. However, we’ll play them at the Estadio Algarve which is, believe it or not, in the Algarve region of Portugal. It’s roughly 2.5 hours from Sporting’s ground in Lisbon and although its full capacity is 30,000, it has operated at 22,000 since 2023 due to “security concerns”.

THE MANAGER

44-year-old Rui Borges is the team’s current manager, having held the position since December 2024. A former player in the lower divisions of Portuguese football, Borges has plenty of experience in his home country. This is his ninth managerial job si9nce he retired as a player in 2017. His style is said to be well-organised and pragmatic, typically described as “competent, competitive and adaptable”.

PREDICTION

Although Sporting are the favourites to win this match, Sunderland showed resilience in the Championship and most of our best performances came against the “bigger” teams in the division and will surely be no pushovers as they look to build fitness and gel as a team here. I think Sporting will win 2-1 but it’ll be a close game and one to learn from.