Rui Borges' Sporting battle 'curse', Mourinho blocks the way | OneFootball

The derby between Sporting and Benfica promises to be decisive in the title race, with the Lions in second place, five points behind leaders Porto, still with a game in hand, and the Eagles in third, just two points behind their Alvalade rivals. For the Alvalade club, winning is essential to keep the dream of a third straight title alive, but there is one fact giving Rui Borges a headache.

The Mirandela-born coach has struggled in big games. The Sporting manager has just one win in five matches against direct rivals (Porto and Benfica), along with two defeats and two draws, with that sole victory being a 1-0 win over the Dragons in the Portuguese Cup.

The head-to-head record between the two managers also offers little comfort in terms of entertainment. In their only meeting this season, at the Luz, they drew 1-1, with goals from Pote in the 12th minute and Sudakov in the 27th, before a second half with few clear chances. A result that ultimately benefited Porto, who extended their lead at the top a few days later.

There is another factor that could carry psychological weight. José Mourinho has never lost to Sporting, with six wins and three draws in nine matches throughout his career, with clubs such as Benfica, União de Leiria, Porto and Chelsea. Rui Borges, meanwhile, has a more balanced derby record, including two wins, two draws and two defeats in charge of the Lions, as well as previous spells with Moreirense and Vitória de Guimarães.

The green-and-white side take the field next Sunday, 19 April, against Benfica. The match, valid for the 30th round of the Liga Portugal Betclic, against the team managed by José Mourinho, will be played at 6:00 pm at the José Alvalade Stadium.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.