Sporting Lisbon – Marítimo: Preview
We present the forecasts for the match between Sporting Lisbon and Marítimo in the quarter‑final phase of the 2026/27 Portuguese League Cup.
The "Sporting" will try to recover after unexpected home defeats. "Marítimo" entered the competition as the Second Division champion and last week also suffered a painful loss in the league.
Key Moments
Sporting Lisbon
1. Sporting suffered sensational defeats at home in the CL and the league
Currently, Rui Borrecha’s side is on a negative streak. In the Lisbon league they are only third, nine points behind the leader "Porto". After two initial wins in the Champions League, the lions surprised by losing to LAZK (2:3) – despite strong home performances and matches against lower‑tier opponents, Sporting performed well in the last encounter. The home failures continued in the league: the team lost to newly promoted "Académico de Viseu" (1:2). The coaching staff must reinforce defensive solidity: Sporting conceded eleven goals in the league, worse than several mid‑table teams.
2. Rui Borrecha will change the entire squad
Only two days after the match against Académico de Viseu, Sporting’s head coach cannot avoid a complete change of the starting XI for the domestic secondary tournament against a notably inferior rival. In the training room there are standout players: Zeno Debast and Rodrigo Salazar. For some substitutes, the match against Marítimo will be important. Goalkeeper Rui Silva lost his spot in the squad, despite recently being called up to the national team. Clearly, there are more options such as Zeni Catamu and the Greek talent generation representative, Georgios Vayanidis.
3. Sporting has not lost points to Marítimo at José Alvalade since 2017
The advantage of top Portuguese clubs over mid‑table and non‑league teams is one of the most evident in world football. Marítimo gains points over the giants on their own ground thanks to the geographic factor. In Funchal, the Madeira club lost only one direct match in the last eight – in 2021. However, in Lisbon, Marítimo is powerless. The last time the team earned points in the capital against Sporting was in the League Cup in 2017 – 0:0. Since then, eight defeats, three of them with five goals scored. In those away matches, Marítimo scored only three goals. Considering the current form of the islanders, the continuation of Sporting’s streak is more than likely.
Marítimo
1. Marítimo started well in the league but has not won after seven matches
The islanders returned to the elite after a three‑year break and initially looked good – they beat not only Casa Pia but also the solid Famalicão at home. But since then, Mitchell van der Gag’s team has only two points in seven games. Marítimo fell to the bottom of the table, but thanks to a good start they remain above the relegation zone. They only managed to beat modest Alcochetense in the Portuguese Cup. The last match was especially bad for the islanders – Vitória de Guimarães at home left no chance for the team (0:5).
2. Mitchell van der Gag will shake the squad
After the horrible match in Guimarães, Marítimo’s Dutch coach will heavily shake the squad. It will especially affect the defensive line that failed in the match. In the cup match against Alcochetense, the second goalkeeper, Gonsalo Tabuás, was the starter. They will have the opportunity to play Rafael Távarez, Israel Ayúma, Simo Buzadi and Morris Boaki. Unlike Sporting, some reserve players will get game practice – the team rested quite a bit after the league match.
3. Marítimo has the second‑worst defence in the league and an incomprehensible attack
Even with Sporting’s current problems, the islanders have little chance to impose the fight on the Lisbon side. Mitchell van der Gag’s team has major defensive issues. On average, they concede more than two goals per game: eighteen in nine matches. The only clean sheet this season was at home against Casa Pia – even in the cup they were scored on by the most modest opponent. Both matches against the giants – Porto and Benfica – the team lost on their own ground. Additionally, the attack also has problems: nine goals is not the worst result in the league, but no Marítimo player has scored more than once.
Approximate lineups
4-4-2-4-2-3-11
Tiaú Silva 72
Quarijma 73
Felixsimu 11
Zekri 13
Vayanidis 4
Andersen 8
Simoynsh 28
Derri 10
Katamu 7
Ioannidis 9
Nel 1
Tabuás 22
Salaí 4
Távarez 2
Julian 23
Enrique Cabral 21
Alani 66
Ayúma 11
Buzadi 8
Domínges 10
Tehon 90
Boaki
Trend Forecasts
Forecast
Sporting Lisbon vs Marítimo
28.10.2026 00:15
Sporting has recently seemed unlucky. The lions have two consecutive home defeats against modest rivals – LAZK in the Champions League and Académico de Viseu in the league. The team concedes more goals per game in the league, which corresponds to the indicators of mid‑table teams. The league match took place only two days before the cup encounter, so Rui Borrecha will completely change the squad. Marítimo has not earned points at José Alvalade since 2017, losing three times by five goals. After a good start in the league, Marítimo has not won seven matches, earning only two points in that stretch. In the last round, the islanders lost to Vitória with a score of 0:5. The team has the second‑worst defence in the league and an incomprehensible attack, in which no player scored more than one goal in the league. Even Sporting’s second squad should win confidently.
Prediction: 2-0
