Rui Borges is preparing Sporting CP for a key Primeira Liga Classico at Porto, stressing that the match carries weight in the title race but will not settle it, even after Sporting needed extra time in the Taca de Portugal to edge AVS and reach the semi-finals.
Sporting arrive at Estadio do Dragao after a 3-2 win over AVS, secured by a 117th-minute strike from Geny Catamo, extending their winning streak in all competitions to six matches and giving Borges confidence that Sporting can handle another intense contest despite the packed schedule.
Porto lead the Primeira Liga and can move seven points clear with victory, while Sporting sit four points behind and must chase from second place, with Borges reminding that many matches remain and that last
season’s eight-point final advantage came despite dropping nine points during 2024-2025.
The recent league setback for Porto, a 2-1 defeat against Casa Pia on Monday, ended an 11-game winning run in the competition and marked their first Primeira Liga loss of the season, leaving Francesco Farioli’s side eager to respond in front of home supporters against Sporting.
Borges expects fatigue from the extra 30 minutes against AVS, yet trusts the competitive environment of a Classico to drive performance, as Sporting seek to continue their strong league run and reduce Porto’s advantage while managing the physical toll of back-to-back high-pressure fixtures.
Reflecting on the demands of the schedule, Borges underlined Sporting’s mindset for the trip to Estadio do Dragao, saying: "The players will be more tired, but that won’t be an excuse for our performance in the Classico, Borges said. We will arrive in top form to play a game with a different intensity. I believe it will be an important game, but not a decisive one. The pressure and motivation of playing a Classico will outweigh the 30 extra minutes. "
𝐍𝐄𝐗𝐓 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇: em modo Clssico #FCPSCP pic.twitter.com/uN94go2YjGSporting CP (@SportingCP) February 7, 2026
Borges also highlighted Sporting’s long-term focus in the Portuguese title race, adding: "I don’t look backwards, only forward. We will do everything to win that game, but it’s not decisive because there are many games left. We finished eight points ahead of second place in 2024-2025 and dropped nine points. All the games will be very difficult. For me, it’s not a decisive game, but it’s an important game. "
Porto vs Sporting CP Primeira Liga players to watch
Porto will look again to Alberto Costa, who assisted in the loss to Casa Pia and now chases consecutive league matches with an assist for the first time since a three-game streak between August and September 2025, which included setting up Luuk de Jong against Sporting.
A multido num grito s de todos ns pic.twitter.com/meSK3BSFCTFC Porto (@FCPorto) February 7, 2026
For Sporting, Pote stands out among the division’s most productive players, with 10 goals and five assists, joining teammate Luis Suarez, who has 18 goals and four assists, yet Pote has never scored or assisted in a league match at Estadio do Dragao across four previous appearances.
Porto vs Sporting CP Primeira Liga statistics
History at Estadio do Dragao slightly favours Porto, who are unbeaten in nine home league meetings with Sporting, winning five and drawing four, although only one win has come from the last five of those fixtures, with the remaining four games all ending level.
Porto’s overall home league record under Francesco Farioli is strong, with 12 straight Primeira Liga home matches unbeaten, 11 wins and one draw, and seven clean sheets in nine home league outings, while their recent 1-2 defeat halted a 22-game league sequence without losing, comprising 21 wins and one draw.
Sporting’s broader league form remains impressive, with only one defeat across their last 41 Primeira Liga fixtures, delivering 30 wins and 10 draws, though that single loss came against Porto in August’s reverse meeting, a 2-1 defeat that keeps the current head-to-head advantage with the league leaders.
The Leoes approach this trip with an alternating pattern of away results in the league, three wins and two draws across their last five, including a 2-1 victory at Arouca in their most recent away match, underlining their ability to manage challenging environments similar to Estadio do Dragao.
| Match prediction metric | Porto vs Sporting CP Primeira Liga |
|---|---|
| OPTA win probability Porto | 37% |
| OPTA win probability Sporting CP | 36.7% |
| OPTA draw probability | 26.3% |
OPTA’s model points toward a balanced Classico with a likely draw outcome, reflecting Porto’s recent strength at home and Sporting’s long unbeaten stretch in league play, while both teams carry clear attacking threats, making this match important without being decisive in the wider Primeira Liga title picture.
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