Preview: Sporting Lisbon vs Sunderland - prediction, team news, lineups

Building up to their long-awaited Premier League comeback, Sunderland will meet Portuguese champions Sporting Lisbon on Monday, at Estadio Algarve.

While the Black Cats won the Championship playoffs last term, Sporting claimed a domestic double, and both are now tuning up for the 2025-26 campaign.

Match preview

Getting ready for their first Premier League season in eight years, Sunderland have been busy recruiting new players to aid their fight for top-flight survival, and on-pitch preparations will now step up a notch.

Promotion-winning coach Regis Le Bris - who led his team to a dramatic Wembley win over Sheffield United in May - already has one eye on the Black Cats' league opener, at home to West Ham United on August 16.

Sunderland took on local sides Gateshead and South Shields earlier this month - drawing 2-2 and winning 4-0 respectively - before heading over to Portugal.

After Saturday's meeting with Sevilla, they will remain in the Algarve for more training and another friendly fixture.

Ahead of upcoming tests against Hearts, Hull City, Real Betis, Augsburg and Rayo Vallecano, the Wearside club will pit themselves against the reigning Portuguese champions. 

Despite suffering a mid-season slump after Ruben Amorim walked out last term, Sporting still delivered a second straight league title, pipping Benfica to top spot under the watch of Rui Borges.

Goals from Viktor Gyokeres and Conrad Harder then helped the Lions beat their Lisbon rivals in a dramatic Taca de Portugal final, wrapping up the double with their first cup win for six years.

Amorim's successor - appointed after a failed eight-game spell under Joao Pereira - is now tasked with maintaining Sporting's supremacy, despite key players lining up to leave.

Captain and midfield heartbeat Morten Hjulmand may join Ousmane Diomande and Gyokeres in departing Estadio Alvalade this summer, and Geovany Quenda has already joined Chelsea, so Borges could face a big rebuild.

So far in pre-season, Sporting have lost 2-0 to Celtic and won 1-0 against Torreense, as they build up to their Supertaca clash with Benfica at the end of the month, then a Primeira Liga opener against Casa Pia.

Sporting Lisbon pre-season friendlies form: W L

Sunderland pre-season friendlies form: D W

Team News

While Jobe Bellingham exited soon after Sunderland's promotion party, Regis Le Bris has been able to add several men to his squad - Simon Adingra, Chemsdine Talbi, Habib Diarra, Reinildo Mandava and Noah Sadiki could all make an appearance on Monday.

Furthermore, Sassuolo forward Armand Lauriente is on the verge of signing, and Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka is a major target.

However, Le Bris will be without Romaine Mundle, who has sustained an injury in training. He joins Luke O'Nien, Dennis Cirkin and Leo Hjelde on the sidelines, but Chris Rigg and long-term absentee Niall Huggins are now available.

Meanwhile, Sporting are missing last season's Primeira Liga top scorer Viktor Gyokeres, who went on strike to force through his long-mooted move to Arsenal.

Georgian midfielder Giorgi Kochorashvili has arrived from Levante and made his debut as a substitute against Celtic; new winger Alisson Santos may also play.

Morten Hjulmand could still feature despite strong interest from Italy, where he previously played for Lecce. While Nuno Santos is still injured, Pedro Goncalves and Francisco Trincao are set to support Conrad Harder in the Lions' attack.

Sporting Lisbon possible starting lineup: Silva; Fresneda, Quaresma, St. Juste, Reis; Hjulmand, Kochorashvili; Catamo, Trincao, Goncalves; Harder

Sunderland possible starting lineup: Patterson; Huggins, O'Nien, Ballard, Cirkin; Diarra, Neil, Sadiki, Roberts; Le Fee; Mayenda

We say: Sporting Lisbon 1-1 Sunderland

Sunderland are settling several new players in, while many of Sporting's key players are eyeing an exit, so it may be a disjointed game of numerous changes.

The priority for both sides remains match-fitness, so they could settle for a low-key draw in the Algarve.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

Written by
Jonathan O'Shea

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