When they enter the 'dragons' pitch, Sporting will already know if they can secure their second title in four years, since Benfica will face the Braga team on Saturday and only the current champion's defeat will allow the 'green and whites' to celebrate, with three rounds still to play.

Benfica's draw with the Minho team does not allow Sporting to mathematically win the title so far in advance, since they will be separated by nine points - the same that will be disputed until the end of the I League -- and with equality in the direct confrontation (both won at home by 2-1).

The classic could not find Sporting in better shape and FC Porto in a more delicate situation, weakened by a series of bad results and in turmoil due to the elections that will take place the day before, in which, for the first time, president Pinto da Costa faces strong opposition from former coach André Villas-Boas.

The team coached by Sérgio Conceição, who was recently deprived of goalkeeper Diogo Costa and defender João Mário due to injury, has won only one of the last four games in the competition, being definitively eliminated from the fight for the title and, most likely, from the second place and consequent access to the Champions League next season.

On the Sporting side, who beat the Porto team 2-0 in the first round, coach Rúben Amorim will also not be able to count on defenders Diomande and Ricardo Esgaio, both suspended, but the return to goals of Swedish forward Viktor Gyökeres, the competition's top scorer with 24, opens up good prospects for the 'lions'.

In addition, Sporting is carried by a series of eight consecutive victories, which equaled the best in the competition this season and could be broken at the Estádio do Dragão, where the hosts will not be able to ease up in the arm wrestling with Sporting de Braga.

The battle for the last place on the championship podium is much more intense and the Minho team will want to demonstrate this at the Estádio da Luz, despite having lost both matches against Benfica in 2023/24, in Braga, in the first round, by 1-0, and in Lisbon, in the round of 16 of the Portuguese Cup, by 3-2.

The two teams have the same record in the last 10 games (seven wins, one draw and two losses) and are experiencing turbulent times: Benfica due to the strong opposition to German coach Roger Schmidt and Braga following the departure of coach Artur Jorge to Botafogo and his replacement by Rui Duarte.

The defeat suffered on Sunday in Alvalade left Vitória de Guimarães, fifth placed, five points behind FC Porto and Sporting de Braga and only a victory in the reception to Boavista (13th), on Saturday, allows the team from Guimarães to cherish any expectation of reaching the third position.

The 31st round, which starts on Friday, with the clash between Gil Vicente (12th) and Arouca (sixth) and ends on Monday, when Estrela da Amadora (15th) hosts Farense (10th), can make the last-placed Vizela the first team relegated to the II League, depending on an unfavorable combination of results.

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