Although they relinquished their title, the 2025/26 campaign was hardly a disaster for Sporting as they finished only six points behind champions Porto.
Some big departures mean Rui Borges' side are in for a tougher campaign this time around, and the absences of Geovany Quenda, Ousmane Diomande and Kasper Hjulmand were felt when they were held to a 2-2 draw at Estrela in their Primeira Liga opener.
Sporting's fans will expect better on home soil against Vitoria Guimaraes on Friday and their wishes are likely to be rewarded, albeit in unconvincing fashion, with the visitors expected to play their part in a lively Lisbon affair.
Sporting CP v Vitoria SC Tips Summary
Best Bet - Sporting to win and both teams to score @ 7/4
Alternative Bet - Second half to be higher scoring @ 1/1
Bet Builder - Rodrigo Zalazar anytime goalscorer, Fotis Ioannidis 2+ shots on target, Alioune Ndoye 2+ shots @ 11/2
Sporting CP v Vitoria SC Prediction
Best Bet - Sporting to win and both teams to score @ 7/4
Eager to bounce back from their Estrela embarrassment, Sporting will go on the front foot in front of their expectant home crowd at Estadio Jose Alvalade.
Given they scored 89 league goals last season, that should spell trouble for Vitoria, who also endured a disappointing curtain-raiser, going down 1-0 to Arouca.
Guimaraes can count themselves unlucky, though, having won the expected-goals battle 2.28-0.42, so don't rule out a response of their own in Lisbon.
New Vitoria boss Tiago Margarido was in charge of Nacional last term. His side lost both meetings with Sporting but did manage to grab a consolation in each of those defeats, suggesting an end-to-end affair could unfold, with the hosts taking the spoils.
Alternative Bet - Second half to be higher scoring @ 1/1
There were four goals in Sporting's opening match, yet none arrived before half-time.
That suggests Borges is working out how to fill the voids left by Quenda and Hjulmand in particular, and the solution may still take a while to find.
Not so much that they miss out on three points again, but potentially enough that another first half of attrition plays out on Friday.
Vitoria also went into half-time level in their opener and a cagey first 45 minutes is likely at Estadio Jose Alvalade.
Sporting CP v Vitoria SC Bet Builder Tip
Rodrigo Zalazar anytime goalscorer
Fotis Ioannidis 2+ shots on target
Alioune Ndoye 2+ shots
Pays 11/2
Sporting's mass exodus hasn't been all bad, with the funds gained being used to bring in Rodrigo Zalazar, scorer of 16 Primeira Liga goals for Braga last term.
The Uruguayan found the net on his debut against Estrela and can follow up when the Lions host Vitoria, who he put two past in February.
Zalazar wasn't the only lively Lion at Estrela, with Fotis Ioannidis racking up three shots on target and finding the net.
The Greek forward averaged 1.17 shots on target per 90 minutes after joining Sporting in January last term and should let fly at will.
At the other end, there is no hiding who Vitoria's go-to man is.
Striker Alioune Ndoye registered a quarter of his side's 24 shots against Arouca, and the towering Senegalese should again provide their biggest threat.
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Key Match Stats
There have been 24 goals in the last five meetings between this pair
Sporting won and both teams scored in last season's two league head-to-heads
Vitoria have lost seven of their last nine away matches
Both teams have scored in six of Sporting's last seven games
No Primeira Liga team outscored Sporting last term, with their 89 goals at least 15 more than any other side
Guimaraes have lost four matches in a row
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
