Vitória S.C. v Sporting CP: title push meets top-half ambition | OneFootball

Vitória S.C. host Sporting CP in Liga Portugal on Tuesday, 23 December 2025 at Estádio Dom Afonso Henriques, with the visitors chasing the top two and the Guimarães side looking to consolidate a top half position.

Recent head to head has largely favoured Sporting CP, who won 2-0 in May. The fixture at this venue last season was a wild 4-4 draw in January, a reminder that Vitória S.C. can trouble elite opponents at home.

Form points to momentum for the visitors domestically: a 6-0 win over AVS followed a 1-1 draw at Benfica and a 4-0 victory against Estrela Amadora, with only Bayern Munich beating them in Europe. Vitória S.C. have three wins in their last five in all competitions, including 1-0 at Rio Ave and 4-0 against AVS, plus a goalless draw with Gil Vicente.

The Leões are set to be without Nuno Santos, Jerry St. Juste and Daniel Bragança through injury. For the hosts, leading league scorers Oumar Camara and Nelson Oliveira are on three apiece.

On the numbers, the Leões average 2.7 goals per game with 62% possession, 87.30% passing accuracy and eight clean sheets, powered by Luis Suárez, who is second in the scoring chart on 11 goals, and Pedro Gonçalves on nine. Vitória S.C. have scored 15 and conceded 17, but five headed goals suggest deliveries into the box could be a route to goal.

The Leões sit second on 35 points and a win would strengthen their grip on Champions League qualification and keep the title race in sight. Vitória S.C. are eighth on 21 points and three points here could move them closer to the European places.