The 2024–25 Primeira Liga season in Portugal is scheduled to start on Friday at Estadio Jose Alvalade when Rio Ave visits champion Sporting Lisbon.
With 90 points from 34 games, the host team emerged victorious from the previous season, while the visitors finished in 11th place with 37 points, just five points ahead of third-place Portimonense, who were demoted from the division in 16th position.
Sporting's championship victory was their second in the previous four seasons, which is quite an accomplishment given that they hadn't won the Primeira Liga since 2001–02.
The Green and Whites' final-term point total of 90 was actually their highest ever, 16 points over their 2022–2023 total.
The hosts were the greatest offensive and third-best defensive club in the league with 96 goals scored and 29 goals given up.
The team's first league title in 19 years and its ability to finally compete domestically against giants Porto and Benfica are largely due to manager Ruben Amorim's fluid and adaptable system.
The talk surrounding Amorim's possible exit earlier this year—fanned by his travel to London in April to discuss with West Ham United—will be interesting to watch whether Sporting's level declines in 2024–25.
Although the meeting occurred during the league season, the manager issued a public apology for it. Nevertheless, his team managed to draw 2-2 with Porto on April 29, the day after the controversy.
The Super Cup Final was lost by Sporting to Porto 4-3 on August 3rd, their most recent match; nevertheless, it should be mentioned that Amorim did not start with a full strength lineup.
Rio Ave's opponent's point total of 37 in 2023–24 was three fewer than in 2022–23, but to their credit, they managed to avoid relegation for the second consecutive season after making a comeback to the top division in 2022–23.
The visitors had the joint 12th-best offensive and 7th-best defensive records in the league with their 38 goals scored and 43 goals given up.
Since taking over as manager in July 2021, Luis Freire has led Rio Ave to 46 victories, 37 draws, and 35 losses.
No other team has drawn more than 12 draws in 34 Primeira Liga games, with Freire's team drawing 19 of their last 17 league games.
In the 2023–24 top division season, Rio Ave drew both at home and away versus Sporting; nonetheless, they have lost all 21 of their previous road league games.
