Sporting Lisbon will be hoping to make a fresh start under new management when they welcome Moreirense to the Estadio Jose Alvalade on Saturday evening for their Liga Portugal Matchday 11 encounter.

The Lions sit third in the Primeira Liga table with 21 points from 10 matches, nine behind leaders Porto and four adrift of arch-rivals Benfica in second, while their visitors occupy ninth place.

Match preview

Saturday's encounter marks the beginning of a new era at Sporting, with Paulo Fonseca set to take charge for the first time following his appointment as Rui Borges's successor, bringing an end to the latter's near two-year spell at the club on November 2 after a difficult run of results.

Borges departs having guided the Lions to the league title and Taca de Portugal triumph in 2024-25, but the club failed to add any silverware last season, while consecutive home defeats to LASK and Academico de Viseu contributed to his dismissal this term.

B-team coach Tiago Fernandes took temporary charge for the 1-0 Champions League victory over Shakhtar Donetsk in midweek before Fonseca was unveiled as Sporting's new head coach on November 4.

The former Lyon boss inherits a side that has won its last three matches across all competitions, having followed up a Taca da Liga victory over Maritimo and a 2-0 league success against Casa Pia with the midweek continental triumph.

With little room for further slip-ups if Sporting are to remain in the title race after finishing runners-up last season, Fonseca will be eager to collect maximum points on Saturday before turning his attention to the upcoming trip to leaders Porto on November 29.

The Lisbon outfit can also draw confidence from their recent record against Moreirense, having won seven of their last eight meetings (L1), including the last three, in which they scored exactly three goals on each occasion.

Moreirense, meanwhile, travel to the capital after recording consecutive league victories for the first time since January, having followed up their success at Estoril Praia with a 2-1 triumph over Estrela Amadora, courtesy of Nile John's stoppage-time winner.

Vasco Botelho da Costa will be pleased with his side's response after a three-match winless run across all competitions, which included a disappointing Taca de Portugal exit at the hands of lower-league AVS, alongside a league draw against Vitoria de Guimaraes and defeat to Gil Vicente.

Five points adrift of the European places, Os Verdes e Brancos know that taking points from difficult away fixtures against the likes of Sporting prove crucial in their pursuit of a historic continental qualification, although they have avoided defeat just once in their previous 15 league visits to the Lisbon club.

Moreirense have nevertheless been reasonably competitive on their travels this season, collecting seven points from a possible 15, with two victories in five away matches offering some encouragement ahead of Saturday's challenge.
 

Sporting Lisbon Primeira Liga form:

Sporting Lisbon form (all competitions):

Moreirense Primeira Liga form:

Moreirense form (all competitions):

Team News

Sporting remain without centre-back Zeno Debast and Nuno Santos, who are both recovering from injuries, although Rodrigo Zalazar has returned to action after making a second-half appearance in the Champions League victory over Shakhtar following a knee problem.

Interim boss Fernandes opted to deploy both centre-forward Fotis Ioannidis and Luis Suarez in attack, although it remains to be seen whether Fonseca will retain that approach for his first match in charge.

Suarez has now gone two consecutive appearances without scoring after finding the net in each of his previous 10 outings for Sporting, and the Colombian will be eager to rediscover his scoring touch this weekend.

For Moreirense, Francisco Domingues and Kiko Bondoso are expected to miss several weeks after sustaining muscle injuries in their left thighs.

Meanwhile, midfielder Joao Veloso and forward Alexandre Parsemain were left out of the travelling squad as they continue their respective recoveries from fitness problems, leaving Leonardo Vonic likely to lead the line once again.
 

Sporting Lisbon possible starting lineup:

Silva; Vagiannidis, Quaresma, Inacio, Araujo; Altimira, Doumbia; Catamo, Zalazar, L Guilherme; Suarez.

Moreirense possible starting lineup:

Ferreira; Pinto, Monteiro, Batista, Martinez; Liberato, John; Andrade, Mendonca, Landerson; Vonic

We say: Sporting Lisbon 3-1 Moreirense

Sporting's managerial change adds an element of uncertainty, but the hosts still possess considerably more individual quality and should have enough to overcome a Moreirense side dealing with several injury absences.

The visitors have shown some improvement on their travels in recent weeks, although their poor record at the Jose Alvalade suggests that Fonseca could begin his tenure with a victory.
 

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