Sporting CP v FC Famalicão

Sporting CP v Futebol Clube Famalicão
Sunday February 15th, 2026
Matchday 22
Estadio Jose Alvalade

The warm up

It's Saturday night as I write and I'm still trying to recover from Thursday nights 3-2 laboured win over the leagues bottom side AVS after extra time in the Taça de Portugal. That's the third time the lions have gone to extra time in this season's competition and the third time in doing so that they've recorded a 3-2 victory. Sporting or course the current holders after their win in the Dérbi after extra time in May though that at least was 3-1. Against Paços they recorded 39 attempts on goal over the course of 120 minutes. Thursday night they had 30 and missed all 4 of their big chances. They're definitely making life harder for themselves than it needs to be. Mind you if they average a shot every 4 minutes against Porto on Monday and score 3 I won't be complaining. Well as long as they don't repeat the Supertaça and concede 4 by way of reply. 

By the time we face off against Famalicão, both sides will have played on Monday night. Dave Brailsford and Team Sky were famous for finding marginal gains in their quest for cycling dominance. Well if there's anything to be gained by Famalicão kicking off two hours before Sporting it might be hard to quantify. However the fact they play bottom side AVS at home and we go to top of the table Porto for O Clássico may well have some type of baring. I thought it best to write this ahead of Monday night so that whilst I might be bemoaning the manner of the AVS win in the intro, it might read more upbeat than if we've just thrown away the chance to go one point behind the league leaders and instead find ourselves 7 points behind having failed to capitalise on their recent 2-1 defeat away to Casa Pia. The good news is after both games going into extra time we have at least won the next games, coming against Marseille and Vitória. By the time you read this you'll no doubt know the result and will either be convinced the repeat is well and truly on or consigned yourselves to the fact that at least we're still Champions until May and no one can take that away from us until then. 

The last time Sporting failed to beat Famalicão at home was in April of 2021 when the game finished 1-1. They last lost at the José Alvalade in September 2019 when a Coates own goal 3 minutes before the end of time gifted them a 2-1 win. Head to head in all competitions in the last 16 meetings have resulted in 11 wins, 3 draws and 2 defeats for the lions. Sporting if they win will make it 10 straight wins in all competitions. 

The visitors sit 8th on 29 points with 8 wins, 5 draws and 7 defeats. GF 24, GA 19. 6th best record on the road, played 10, won 4, drawn 3, lost 3. GF 8, GA 11. Their remaining 7 away fixtures alongside the trip to Lisboa, also includes visits to Porto and Braga in addition, so that record may be slightly skewed at present. How their season could have been different of they had someone capable of sticking the ball in the back of the net on a regular basis. 

Of the 24 they have scored, 16 have come from open play, 6 from set pieces, 1 free kick and our old friend own goal on the score sheet with an additional goal to add to their tally. They're underperforming their XG of 26.7. 

Midfielder Gustavo Sá is joint top scorer with 4 goals. Despite still being only the tender age of 21 years old he is the sides club captain and rated as one of the best prospects in Portuguese football. I don't know what his release clause is set to but I'd not be unduly upset to find him in a Sporting shirt next season when Morita, and we assume Hjulmand have departed. Having watched Mateus Fernandes again for West Ham against Burnley this afternoon, I'm wondering if we can take legal action against Ruben Amorim for signing off on his departure. My god he's already one hell of a player and we really dropped the fucking ball there firstly in letting him go and secondly for relative peanuts. Anyways, you have to imagine at some point in the non too distant future, Sá will be on his way. Zabiri the other player on 4 though any future goals to his tally will come in Ligue 1 in the colours of Rennes. Dias and Sorriso with 3 apiece, 7 others excluding our old friend own goal share the remainder with either 2 or a single goal to their names. Mathias de Amorim is another 21 year old with a seemingly big future on the horizon. File him with Sá under the header - enjoy them whilst you can. 

They average 1.2 goals per game but that may creep up slightly after Monday night. They concede on average just 1 goal per game which is the leagues 6th best record. That's owed to their ten clean sheets which has only been bettered by Porto and Benfica. 

An average of 4.2 shots on target per game the 7th best record but someway off the lions who top that statistic with 7.3. It doesn't bode well ahead of this game that no two sides have missed more big chances than Sporting and Famalicão with 47 and 34 respectively. Refer back to my earlier comment about how their season could have been so much different if they had someone capable of putting the ball in the back of the net on a regular basis. For added context are their game breakdowns further down below this post. Four games in particular will jump out for big chances missed and how! 

Top for accurate long balls per game with 24.4 on average. Top for accurate crosses per game with 5.3. 3rd most saves per game with 3.2. Top for most fouls per match with 17.5 although that's not necessarily translated into much more punishment than free kicks with 2 sending's off and 51 bookings which is only the 10th highest in the division. 

Famalicão's season to date

A reminder of how Famalicão’s season had gone before the two teams had met at the Estadio Municipal 22 de Junho on Matchday 5. They won their opening match at home to Santa Clara comfortably 3-0 and followed that up with a 1-0 win away to newly promoted Tondela. Points shared at home to Gil Vicente in a 0-0 draw and a third win in 4 came away at AVS 1-0, a game in which they went down to 10 men in the 55th minute, but held on for the victory.

In the reverse fixture they lead through a Sá goal on 16 minutes. Gonçalves equalised on 22, Suárez with the winner in minute 65 to condemn them to their first defeat of the campaign.

https://outsideofthepride.blogspot.com/2025/09/fc-famalicao-v-sporting-cp.html

Matchday 6 – Casa Pia (A) Famalicão took the lead a minute into the second half through Realpe who had missed the game against the lions through suspension having picked up a red card in the win against AVS. A Livolant penalty 3 minutes before the end of the 90 saw the points shared in a 1-1 draw. XG 1.10 to 2.08. Casa Pia scored their only big chance, Famalicão guilty of missing 4 of their 5

Matchday 7 – Rio Ave (H) Points shared again in a 0-0 draw. Famalicão once more guilty of being wasteful in front of goal missing 4 of 4 big chances. Rio Ave missed both of theirs. XG 2.42 to 0.49.

Matchday 8 – Arouca (A) Trezza opened the scoring for the home side on minute 57. Fontán saw red in the 83rd minute to reduce Arouca to ten men and De Haas capitalised with an 85th minute equaliser and the game finished 1-1. XG 0.72 to 1.75. Arouca scored their 1 big chance, Famalicão missed both of theirs. A third straight draw and how different their season could have looked at this early stage had they taken just 1 extra of their big chances over the past 3 games, missing a staggering 10 of 11 created.

Taça de Portugal Round 3 – SC Joao Ver (A) Another comfortable win. A Sorriso goal on the stroke of half time was added to in the second half with goals from De Amorim on 54 and Ribeiro on 77. Final score 3-0 to the visitors and a place in Round 4 secured.

Matchday 9 – Vitoria (H) De Amorim and Sorriso scored for the second straight game to give Famalicão a 2-0 win. XG 1.68 to 0.50. This time Famalicão scored their 1 big chance, the visitors missed their sole opportunity.

Matchday 10 – Nacional (A) Summer signing Joujou put Famalicao 1-0 ahead a minute into added on time at the end of the first half and his goal enough to secure all 3 points. Nacional not helped when Ze Vitor saw red on minute 62. XG 0.39 to 1.62. Both sides missed their one big chance.

Matchday 11 – Porto (H) Famalicão welcomed the league leaders and despite a 1-0 loss, struggled to create any real opportunities in front of goal. Froholdt with the games only goal just after the half hour mark. XG 0.27 to 1.24. They created 0 big chances, Porto missed 3 of 4. Their XG the lowest of their campaign beating the 0.51 recorded against Gil Vicente. Still only 2 losses in 11 league games and both of those coming against two of Os Tres Grandes.

Taça de Portugal 4th Round  - Estoril (A) Famalicão put the disappointment of the Porto defeat behind them as they scored within seconds of the first whistle through Van de Looi. Bondo increased their lead to 2-0 on minute 77. Marques pulled a goal back 4 minutes from time but Famalicão progressed to round 5 with a 2-1 win.

Matchday 12 – Moreirense (A) Zabiri opened his account for the season with a goal on 20 minutes to give the visitors the lead. Schettine drew the sides level a minute after the restart. Sá with his third of the campaign restored the visitors lead but a Pinto goal 11 minutes from time was enough to see the points shared in a 2-2 draw. XG 1.41 to 2.25. Moreirense scored their 1 big chance, Famalicão wasteful again in front of goal missing 3 of 4 big chances.

Matchday 13 – Braga (H) Horta gave the visitors the lead on minute 23. Zabiri scored his second in two games 5 minutes before half time to see the two sides go in level. Pau Victor secured all 3 points for the Fraggles on minute 71 with a 2-1 win to the visitors. Despite the scoreline Famalicão with a high XG of 2.76 to 1.40, reflected in them missing 2 of 3 big chances. Braga missed 1 of their 2.

Matchday 14 – Estoril (H) Back to winning ways with a 4-0 win. Zabiri scores for his third straight game as he opened the scoring in the 1st minute of the match. He becomes their first player to score a brace when he added his second on minute 77. Sá with his 4th of the season made it 2-0 on minute 24. Dias had made it 3-0 after 49 minutes. XG 3.00 to 0.79. NINE big chances for the home side. Importantly they at least scored 4 of those 9. To the best of my knowledge that is the highest recorded total of any side in the campaign. Estoril missed their 1 big chance.

Taça de Portugal Round 5 – Porto (H) Having scored 4 the week before, they found the tables turned as they crashed out of the Taca with a 4-1 loss. Gomes gave Porto the lead after 5 minutes. De Haas equalised after 12 but Froholdt, Aghehowa and Pepe put the game far beyond their reach.

Matchday 15 – Benfica (A) – Just what a side needs after getting thumped by one of Os Tres Grandes the week before, an away trip to the Stadium of Shite. Pavlidis converted a 33rd minute penalty for the only goal in a 1-0 loss. XG 1.28 to 0.21 which was their lowest recorded in the campaign, beating the 0.28 in the 1-0 defeat to Porto. 0 big chances created, Benfica scored their only one. Still despite the defeat, in the league at least discounting the cup loss, Famalicão could at least point to the fact they had lost to Sporting, Porto and Benfica by a 1 goal margin even if they came away without a single point from the 9 on offer. A moral victory at the least.

Matchday 16 – Estrela (H) Famalicão slumped to a 3rd straight loss in all competitions. They were handed the lead on minute 7 through a Patrick own goal but held onto it for all of 2 minutes when Kikas equalised. Ex-Sporting forward Jovane put the visitors 2-1 ahead on minute 23, only for them to throw away the lead 3 minutes later when Sorriso levelled. Jovane however completed his brace in the 50th minute and the goal enough for a 3-2 win to Estrela. XG 2.45 to 0.70. Famalicão missed 2 of their 3 big chances, Estrela 1 of 2.

Matchday 17 – Alverca (H) The second newly promoted team provided an ideal opportunity to stop the slide. However they clearly didn’t read the memo when Chiquinho converted a penalty 4 minutes into additional time at the end of the 90 to see them leave with all 3 points and a 1-0 win. XG 1.10 to 2.10. Famalicão missing all 3 of their big chances, importantly Alverca scoring 1 of their 3. Four straight defeats now in all competitions.

Matchday 18 – Santa Clara (A) Famalicão completed the double over the islanders as Sorriso scored 15 minutes before the end of the 90 to secure a 1-0 win and put an end to their losing run. XG 1.42 to 1.23. Famalicão again guilty of missing too many big chances with 2 of their 3. Santa missed their only one

Matchday 19 – Tondela (H) Another double completed, the promoted side losing 3-0 with goals from De Amorim, Dias and Santos. XG was a bizarre 0.65 to 0.13. Tondela managed 2 attempts all 90, one a blocked shot and another off target that went well wide of the right hand post. Famalicão have started their second half of the season with two wins as they had begun the campaign.

Matchday 20 – Gil Vicente (A). After sharing a goalless draw, Famalicão threw the baby out with the bath water after De Amorim saw red 4 minutes before half time to reduce them to ten men and the high flying visitors ran riot after. Murilo put away a 43rd minute penalty to make it 1-0 to them at half time. Buatu made it 2, Varela scored 2 in the space of 4 minutes and Garcia made it 5-0 to the visitors a minute before the end of the 90. XG 2.69 to 0.11, Famalicão’s lowest total of the campaign. Gil scored five of their SEVEN big chances, the most Famalicão had faced to date. The previous highest being against Sporting and Porto who both created 4 apiece. They failed to create a single big chance.

Matchday 21 sees them host AVS on Monday night as the lions will have travelled to Porto A for O Clássico. For Famalicão at least the benefit of playing a side who were taken to additional time on the Thursday night before, coupled with the fact that since they met on matchday 4, AVS are still yet to win a single game in the league home or away.

Transfers 

Note - the summer window had closed by the time the two sides met on Matchday 5. 

Winter window 

Incoming

Vojin Serafimovic joined on a free transfer from Cukaricki.

Again I swear they make these names up.

Antonio Machado-do-do push pineapples shake the tree from AVS for free. 

I bet he couldn't wait to sign that contract. 

Outgoing 

Yassir Zabiri to Rennes for £8.3m

Hugo Cunha to Galway for free

Off to join the county of my forefathers in Ireland. 

Riccieli to Vitoria on loan. 

Brazilian Vitoria not Portuguese Vitória S.

If you want to know more about our opponents history and where they're based please check out previous blog posts. There's even a bonus blog post still there for the game that never was, cancelled at the 11th hour owing to a local police strike. 

In the markets

Sporting CP TBC

Draw TBC

Famalicão TBC

Sporting CP Feminino 

Sporting CP v SF Damaiense 

Friday February 6th, 2026

Matchday 11

Starting XI 

Wellmann, Fonseca, Cherry, Gonçalves, Cancelinha, Bravo, Lina, Hernandez Gray, Neto, Bonseguendo and Raphino 

Substitutes 

Potra, Pérez, Santiago, Arques, Maia, Rodrigues, Schmit, Gonçalves and Tomaz.

With the score level at half time at 0-0 Arques and Santiago were brought on to replace Lino and Raphino and the introduction of the 19 year old Portuguese forward proved to be an inspired one. 

Fonseca had the ball in the back of the net on 58 minutes but her header from 7 yards was ruled out for offside but well worth watching for the delayed reaction of their goalkeeper who seems to jump more as an after thought when the ball had already passed her. Santiago finally broke the deadlock as she rifled home from just beyond the far post pass the onrushing keeper. She grabbed her second on 85 minutes coolly slotting into the bottom right hand corner from 11 yards. The match ball (assuming the women's budget stretches that far and I don't write that to be comical) would be coming home with the youngster when she slotted home a penalty 3 minutes into additional time into the bottom left hand corner to secure her hat-trick, 3 points and a 3-0 win. 

Sporting CP v Racing Power 

January 31st, 2026

Taça da Liga Matchday 5

Starting XI 

Wellmann, Fonseca, Barron, Fontemanha, Cancelinha, Bravo, Hernandez Gray, Nave, Neto, Bonseguendo and Raphino 

Substitutes 

Potra, Pérez, Santiago, Arques, Armengol, Lino, Cherry, Maia and Rodrigues.

The lionesses secured their place in the semi-finals of the Taça da Liga as they secured a 2-1 win on Matchday 5 of the group phase. 15 minutes in Hernandez Gray with a driving run from midfield went close with a 19 yard effort that ended just over the bar. Just two minutes later Nave broke the deadlock as she ran onto a through ball into the area and calmly slotted home into the bottom left hand corner from 15 yards. On the half hour mark Fontemanha made it 2-0 from the left hand corner of the 6 yard box. A mixup at the back saw the lionesses concede in the 69th minute but they held for the victory.