Lineups for the Portuguese Cup Final: Sporting and Torreense Without Surprises. In the 2025/26 Portuguese Cup final, Rui Borges has kept Sporting's starting eleven unchanged. Torreense has also fielded their strongest lineup, despite recent concerns over key players. The coaches’ decisions could influence the outcome of the match.
In Lisbon, the starting lineups for Sporting and Torreense have been announced for the 2025/26 Portuguese Cup final. Rui Borges, head coach of Sporting, opted not to make any changes, giving starting places to the same players who secured a confident win against Gil Vicente in the last round of the league. This approach highlights his emphasis on cohesion and stability, which could prove to be a key factor in this decisive match.
The Sporting starting lineup includes Rui Silva, Vagiannidis, Eduardo Quaresma, Gonçalo Inácio, Maxi Araújo, Hjulmand, Morita, Geny Catamo, Trincão, Pedro Gonçalves, and Luis Suárez. On the bench are Virgínia, Quenda, Kochorashvili, Faye, Daniel Bragança, Diomande, Luís Guilherme, Rafael Nel, and Ricardo Mangas. This selection did not come as a surprise to fans: the coach chose not to take risks and to stick with his proven formation.
For Torreense, despite concerns over the fitness of Guilherme Liberato, Léo Azevedo, and captain Ianique Stopira, all three started the match. Luís Tralhão opted for Zohi instead of Drammeh, as was the case in the previous game against Casa Pia. Compared to that fixture, Costinha replaced Alfaro, who began on the bench. The Torreense starting lineup: Lucas Paes, David Bruno, Ali-Diadié, Stopira, Javi Vázquez, Léo Azevedo, Liberato, Costinha, Quintero, Zohi, and Dany Jean. On the bench are Unai Pérez, Arnau Casas, Alfaro, Drammeh, Pité, André Simões, Seydi, Agbor, and Danilo Ferreira.
The Portuguese Cup final traditionally attracts heightened interest not only from fans but also from experts. This season, attention to the tournament has further increased amid other sporting events: it was recently announced that Cerdeña is ready to invest significant funds in hosting the start of LaVuelta 2028, underscoring the region's growing interest in major sporting events. Learn more about Cerdeña's plans in the article about the island's bid to host the cycling race.
For reference: Sporting is considered one of the most titled clubs in Portugal, regularly reaching the finals of national tournaments. Torreense, on the other hand, rarely makes it to the decisive stages, which makes their participation in the final a significant event for fans from Torres Vedras. The Portuguese Cup is traditionally played on neutral ground, and the teams' lineups in the final often become a topic of discussion among experts and fans. This year, both coaches relied on tried-and-tested combinations, which may add extra intrigue to the match.
