Boavista FC vs Sporting CP: Preview, Odds, Form Guide and Players to Watch (April 27)

Sunday’s match between Sporting CP and Boavista FC will see the top and bottom teams in the Primeira Liga meet in what promises to be a fascinating encounter between two of Portugal’s most decorated clubs. Disregarding the 51-point gap separating these two sides in the table, this is a massive fixture that will have implications on the championship race and the relegation battle.

After picking up six points from their last three matches, Boavista have given themselves a fighting chance of working their way out of the bottom two. Newly-appointed manager Stuart Baxter has brought with him a sense of optimism, and with a vibrant home crowd driving them forward, the Panthers will be aiming to walk away with something from this match. 

Sporting are looking to become the first Portuguese side to repeat as league champions since SL Benfica achieved the feat back in 2017. The Lions sit atop the standings but Benfica have matched their Lisbon rivals every step up the way, with the two sides level on points going into the final four games of the campaign. 

Preview

Joel Silva’s second-half strike against Farense in Faro last week gave Boavista a glimmer of hope in their fight to stay in the top division. The Porto club remains last in the standings, but are currently tied on points with Farense and just two points behind AVS. A result against Sporting could see Os Axadrezados move out of the bottom position for the first time since Jornada 16. 

The 71-year-old English-Scottish manager Baxter was brought in to oversee the final five matches as Boavista aims to somehow avoid the drop. He has plenty of management experience under his belt over a storied 40-year career, coaching clubs in Sweden, Japan, South Africa, and India, as well as a brief stint with Portuguese club Vitória Setúbal in the late ’80s. 

Baxter is off to a flying start, with the 1-0 win against Farense in his opening game a stepping stone towards safety. The club, however, faces a difficult run of games. Following their home match against Sporting, they travel to Vila das Aves to face AVS, followed by the local derby against FC Porto. Boavista will play their final game of the year against Arouca.

Over 30 games, the Panthers have accumulated just 21 points. Their home record will be particularly concerning with the club managing just six points from 15 matches at the Estádio do Bessa.

A lack of goals has also been a major issue for Boavista. They have scored just 20 goals this season, which is tied for the fewest in the league alongside Farense. Róbert Boženík and Miguel Reisinho lead the squad with four goals apiece. Ilija Vukotić and Bruno Onyemaechi each have three goals.

Boavista come into Sunday’s match with several key players missing. Sebastián Pérez, who has captained the side through much of the campaign, is suspended. Ilija Vukotić, Tiago Machado Marco Ribeiro, João Gonçalves are some of the notable names that are sidelined with injuries. 

Sporting looked to be cruising to their second consecutive title after the first three months of the season but the departure of Ruben Amorim to Manchester United along with a string of unfortunate injuries saw the Lions stumble in the months of December, January and February. Bruno Lage has led Benfica back into the title race and despite Sporting taking 19 points from their last seven league matches, they cannot seem to shake off their inter-city rivals. 

Following João Pereira's uninspiring run, highly rated Portuguese manager Rui Borges was brought in from Vitória de Guimarães to help Sporting get over the final hurdle. Borges’ side have improved significantly since he took charge, with the 43-year-old successfully implementing his vision and philosophy on a talented group of players. Sporting have not lost in the league since 5 December and have progressed all the way to the Portuguese Cup final. 

Sporting have led the league for the majority of the 2024-25 season and a win on Sunday will see them maintain their place at the top of the table. They have won 22 of their 30 matches and have a total of 72 points this season.

Sporting’s team has been built on a dynamic attack, with last season’s top scorer Viktor Gyökeres leading the way. The forward has been sensational, scoring an incredible 34 goals in 29 league matches. As a team, the Lions have scored more goals than any other Portuguese side, recording 78 goals and averaging 2.6 goals per game. 

At this stage of the season, every point is vital for this Sporting team. With Benfica on their heels, Borges’ side cannot afford to slip up. 

Benfica and Sporting will meet in the penultimate match of the season at the Estádio da Luz on May 10th in what promises to be a mouthwatering clash between the two title favorites. 

 

Odds

Boavista 16.00 Sporting 1.18, Draw 6.30

Over 3.5 total goals: 2.10, Under 3.5 goals: 1.50

*All odds provided from Betano.pt. Odds are subject to change prior to kick off.

Form Guide (All Competitions)

Boavista:

 

Sporting: 

 

Head-to-head Record

Boavista and Sporting have played on 135 occasions over three different competitions with the rivalry stretching back nearly 100 years. Historically, the Lisbon side have held the advantage in this fixture, winning 70 (51.8%) times and securing 36 (26.7%) draws. Boavista have won 29 (21.5%) times with their last victory over the Lions coming back in September, 2022. 

In the Primeira Liga, the two teams have faced each other 123 times with Sporting winning 65 (52.8%) of those matches. Boavista have won 24 (19.5%) games and there have been 34 (27.7%) draws.

In recent seasons, Sporting have dominated the tie, winning four of the last five games and outscoring Boavista 15-5 in those matches. In fact, Os Axadrezados have managed to defeat the Lisbon club just once since 2008. 

The two clubs played out a thrilling 3-2 game earlier this season at the Estádio José Alvalade, with Francisco Trincão’s second-half strike edging the result in Sporting’s favour. 

 

Players to Watch 

Keep an eye on Boavista’s 26-year-old midfielder Miguel Reisinho who has quietly developed into one of the club’s central figures. Reisinho was a part of Baxter’s first starting 11 and played a key role in their vital 1-0 victory in Faro. One of his strengths is his versatility with the talented player being used in a traditional center midfield role, on the wing and even in the No. 10 role behind Róbert Boženík.  

Overall, Reisinho has recorded four goals over 27 appearances this season.

The goals have dried up for Sporting over the last few weeks. In the month of April, the club have scored just five goals in their three league matches, which is significantly lower than the 2.7 goals per match they were averaging entering the month. 

Viktor Gyökeres is one member of the attack who continues to do his part. The Swedish striker recorded a hat-trick in Sporting’s last league match against Moreirense, taking his goal tally to a whopping 48 goals (all competitions). In the league, Gyökeres is recording over a goal a game, with an average of 1.17 per game. He sits 17 goals ahead of the second-place Vangelis Pavlidis, and is shoo-in to finish atop the Primeira Liga scoring charts for a second consecutive season.