The title is clear enough: if it’s not decisive, it’s close enough. Very close. We talk about the duel between FC Porto and Sportingthe first two classified in the Final Stage of the Placard Handball Championship 1 and which therefore assume the status of teams best positioned to reach the title of national champion at the end of the season.
After the midweek duel against Rhein-Neckar Lowen, in the quarter-finals of the EHF European Leagueyou lions they travel again to the North of the country and try to take a decisive step towards the trophy. With a four-point advantage over their opponent, the team’s Ricardo Costa saw their winning streak interrupted, but their morale remains high in internal competitions, as they still don’t know what it’s like to lose in 2023/2024.
Sporting has been better against FC Porto @FPA
The recent history of clashes between the two teams gives Sporting even more strength. In the last four games (in the semi-finals of the Portuguese Cup 2022/2023, on matchday 11 of the Championship, in the semi-finals of the Supercup and on matchday 22 of the Championship), the lions they always came out on top, and the matches were (almost) always decided by details – three of the four matches ended with a one goal difference.
Keeping an eye on the classic
Now, who will take the opportunity to gain ground on the first two places is Benfica or ABC, the remaining teams in Final Stage A. The Reds are in one of the worst phases of the season in terms of results, as they have had three consecutive defeats and against two rivals: FC Porto (x2) and Sporting.
The class of Jota González continues to deal with several injuries in different positions and was unable to even put up a fight against Sporting in the last round of the championship. To try to reverse this sequence, they face another team that still doesn’t know what it means to win in the Finals – two games, two defeats.
We talk about ABC, which also wants to return to a positive path. They haven’t won since February 25th, against FC Porto at the time. The pupils of Filipe Magalhães They have already achieved the main objective of the season, qualifying for the next edition of the EHF European League, and everything that comes ends up being a bonus…
Protagonists in direct speech
Daymaro Salina (FC Porto): «We are preparing well, studying their last games, correcting our mistakes and we are ready for this battle. It’s very difficult to see the weaknesses of the Sporting team, they’ve had a very good season, they haven’t had defeats in the championship yet and Saturday could be the first. In the last few matches, we have done well, the team is motivated and confident that they will win.»
Ricardo Costa (Sporting): «In Portugal, it is very difficult to win the Championship, you need many victories, but those victories belong to the past and we have to focus on the game that is in front of us. Our goal is to win three more points, nothing else… what’s behind is behind, poorly done or well done. We have a great opportunity on Saturday, in a great game, to win three more points and that’s what we’re going to do.”
Miguel Sánchez-Migallón (Benfica): «It will be a very complicated duel. We have to go back to doing everything we did well to win these games and correct the mistakes we made. All the matches that remain to be played are important and we will try to do our best.”
