The Odivelas Multipurpose Arena is ready for another big day of roller hockey. This Saturday, it hosts the António Livramento Super Cup. The main event pits FC Porto, the reigning league champions, against Sporting, who just lifted the Portuguese Cup. Kick-off is set for lunchtime, promising an exciting clash.
FC Porto has quite a history with this trophy. They’ve won it a remarkable 23 times out of 40 editions. Last year, they faced a rare defeat to OC Barcelos, which marked the start of a dream season for the Minho team. Sporting, on the other hand, has only claimed the Super Cup twice, first in 1982 and again in 2015. When these two teams have met in the Super Cup, the blue and whites of Porto have always come out on top, winning all four previous encounters. Their last Super Cup victory over Sporting was in 2018, a decisive 4-1 win. Interestingly, Paulo Freitas, now coaching FC Porto, was leading Sporting in that very game. He’s eager to secure his first piece of silverware with Porto.
FC Porto captain, Hélder Nunes, feels good about the team’s progress. He said, “This month has been crucial for our growth. We’re getting to know Paulo Freitas’s ideas well.” He added, “Now the part everyone loves begins, with an important game. We’re going in together and giving our all.” Sporting’s forward, Rafa Bessa, feels confident too. He mentioned the recent Club World Cup victory. “We all know what we can do,” Bessa stated. “Being able to win two such important titles in one week gives us a lot of encouragement.”
Women’s Super Cup Also On Tap
Later in the day, at 6 PM, the same arena will host the women’s Super Cup final. Benfica will face Sanjoanense. Benfica has been dominant in this competition, winning the last 11 editions. Sanjoanense, however, is considered the team most likely to break Benfica’s long winning streak. This was clear in the recent Elite Cup final, where they pushed Benfica hard, ultimately losing a close match 2-1.