Sporting travel to Porto's Estadio do Dragao for an expected Primeira Liga classic; a stadium where the hosts have a 12-match unbeaten streak ongoing in the league, dating back to April 2025 against Benfica.
In 2025/26, their home record stands at eight wins and one draw from their nine games.
Will an unbeaten run end on Monday night?
The last time that Sporting lost an away match was even further back in December 2024 against Moreirense - 20 games and counting - and so far on the road in 25/26, their record is eight wins and two draws.
They also come into the game on a 16-game unbeaten run in the league, last losing in the reverse fixture against Porto, so everything is once again set up for a real battle royale.
Current league standings have the Dragons atop the table and leading Os Leoes by four points, with another Portuguese giant, Benfica, five points further back in the race for the Champions League places.
With 13 league games still to play after this weekend's round of fixtures, there's some way to go yet before any team can call themselves champions, of course, but if Francesco Farioli's Porto side can put another three points between themselves and Sporting, it's a long way back into contention for Monday's visitors.
Great time for Sporting to be playing Porto
Sporting's Rui Borges might be comforted in the knowledge that Porto lost their first league game of the season in their last match, a 2-1 defeat to Casa Pia at the Estadio Municipal de Rio Maior.
That snapped the Dragons' epic 19-game unbeaten run, and as so often happens when that cloak of invincibility is removed, it takes a game or two for players to readjust and get things back on an even keel.
To that end, there may be no better time for Sporting to be visiting their rivals.
They too played in a 2-1 game last time out, though Os Leoes were the victors against Nacional, giving them that 16th game without defeat.
The last time these two teams played, Porto came out on top with a 2-1 win at the Estadio Jose Alvalade in August.
Luuk de Jong and William Gomes were the heroes for Porto, with their teammate, Nehuen Perez, scoring an own goal to make the scoreline more respectable for Sporting.
Oddly enough, all three won't play in this game as both de Jong and Perez have long-term injuries, whilst Gomes was sent off in the last game.
A game that promises goals
Aside from the last H2H fixture, you have to go back to February 2023 for Porto's last league win over Sporting (they did beat them in the Portuguese Super Cup (4-3) and Portuguese Cup (2-1) in 2024).
Head-to-head wise over the past few seasons, things have been relatively equal, with Sporting winning three matches, Porto winning five, and six more games being drawn.
Supporters of both clubs will understand that goals are guaranteed too, with the last goalless draw between the sides coming in February 2021.
It may well be a case of the immovable object against the unstoppable force on Monday, as Sporting have the best attack, having scored 54 league goals this season (for a +43 goal difference), whilst Porto have the best defence, conceding just six times in their 20 matches to date.
The last half dozen games for both sides have seen Porto win five and lose one, while Sporting have also won five and drawn the other.
Samu and Suarez the danger men
In terms of danger men, Porto's Samu has 13 goals, making him the fifth-highest scorer in the division. He's also had the most shots for his side this season (56) and the most on target (33).
Luis Suarez has been on fire for Sporting with 18 goals, the second-highest in the league during 25/26, and he too has had the most shots (93) and most shots on target (42) for his team.
Former Barcelona man, and now Sporting creator supreme, Trincao, also deserves a mention, given that he is top assister with seven, and has also created the most chances for Os Leoes (49).
Don't be surprised to see the player with a wand of a left foot have a say in the destination of the points in this game.
Equally matched
Both teams are equally matched in terms of their shot conversion rates (19%), though Sporting top the charts for pass completion (88%), total shots (375) and shots on target (145).
The hosts aren't too shabby in any of those areas either, though their 85% pass completion places them as fourth best in the division in this regard, whilst 289 total shots and 112 on target places them third in each case. With 15 clean sheets this season, however, no one comes close to Porto.
Keep a particular eye on the first 15 minutes after half-time and the final 15 minutes of the game. That's because Porto have both scored and conceded the most right after the break, and Sporting have done similarly from the 75th minute onwards.
Both sides have lost one game after conceding first this season, though neither side has lost when scoring first, so there really is nothing to choose between them.
What a treat we have in store.
