Santa Clara vs Sporting CP tips and predictions

Santa Clara huge price to see off Sporting CP

You'd be forgiven for thinking that Sporting CP just have to turn up, but the visitors are too short a price. While they are rightly the clear favourites their price renders them unbackable as far as this preview is concerned.

This Santa Clara team might have their backs to the wall in no time. However, the hosts have got 8 wins under their belt from their last 15 home games. Without the success they'd want the visitors have lost 2 of their last 3 matches, away and at home. For a team so short in the betting, perhaps they'd be expected to have done better than this.

Santa Clara must be prepared for half-chances against the run of play. While not necessarily enough to change the outcome of the match, the hosts have posted some decent numbers. The hosts are enjoying some form. They have scored two or more goals in 8 of their recent 13 home matches and that approach has been consolidated at the back where they've conceded no more than once in all of their last 5 games.

Sporting CP have had problems defending when not on their own turf. They've conceded three or more goals in 3 of their last 6 away matches. Given the match-up ahead of them, they will not be expecting to add to those errors. They are the odds-on favourites after all.

Note that Sporting CP will want to further justify their short price with a clean sheet at full-time. It isn't a strong view so maybe best to give it a miss but the No BTTS bet is fair enough.