Lisbon rivals Benfica and Sporting will face off this Friday, December 5th, in a crucial Primeira Liga match at the Estádio da Luz. The derby, scheduled for 8:15 PM local time (5:15 PM in Brasília), is a pivotal week 13 encounter, with both in-form clubs vying for the top spot in the 25/26 league standings.
In Brazil, the game will be broadcast on ESPN and the Disney+ streaming service, while viewers in Portugal can watch on Benfica’s official channel, BTV.
Team News and Form
Managed by José Mourinho, Benfica enters the derby on a three-game winning streak across all competitions. The team currently sits third in the league with 28 points, just three behind second-placed Sporting. A victory at home would place them in direct contention for the title, which is currently led by Porto with 34 points. However, Benfica will be without the services of Lukébakio, who is sidelined with a fractured left ankle.
Sporting, coached by Rui Borges, has enjoyed a highly consistent season and arrives with an impressive 11-game unbeaten streak. Despite their strong form, the team will be missing forward Ioannidis, who is out with a right knee injury.
Projected Starting Lineups
Benfica (José Mourinho):
Anatoliy Trubin; Amar Dedic, António Silva, Nicolás Otamendi, Samuel Dahl; Richard Ríos, Enzo Barrenechea; Fredrik Aursnes, Leandro Barreiro, Georgiy Sudakov; Vangelis Pavlidis.
Sporting (Rui Borges):
Rui Silva; Iván Fresneda, Ousmane Diomande, Gonçalo Inácio, Maxi Araújo; João Simões, Morten Hjulmand; Geny Catamo, Francisco Trincão, Pedro Gonçalves; Luis Suárez.
Match Officials
- Referee: António Nobre
- Assistants: Nélson Pereira, Francisco Pereira
- VAR: Rui Costa
