Football Bet of the Day: Portuguese champs to slip up again

• Sporting without a win in five competitive games

• Gil Vicente have stood tall at home to the big hitters

• Give the hosts a headstart on the Asian Handicap

Gil Vicente v Sporting
Thursday 27 February, 20:45

We were too greedy last night in Italy. Our BTTS bet landed in Juventus' 1-1 Coppa Italia draw with Empoli (the visitors won on penalties), but we'd combined it with a Randal Kolo Muani goal, and he drew a blank.

We'll skip across to Portugal now, because ailing Sporting are looking to rescue their season, and they visit Gil Vicente in the Taca de Portugal.

Gil Vicente are in relegation danger after a five-match losing run, but I'm willing to look past that to examine their strong home record. The Roosters have lost just three of their 12 competitive games this season at the Estadio Cidade de Barcelos, they have held Sporting and Braga to draws there, and last month they won 3-1 against Porto.

Sporting have suffered a huge drop in performance levels and confidence since Ruben Amorim defected to Manchester United. Amorim's replacement Joao Pereira lasted just a few weeks before he was dismissed, and now former Guimaraes boss Rui Borges is struggling too.

At the weekend, Sporting gave up a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 at relegation-threatened AVS, and the week before they were held to a 2-2 draw by Arouca. They have won just two of their last nine games in all competitions, they have crashed out of the Champions League and they have blown a big lead over Benfica in the race for the Primeira Liga title.

We can back Gil Vicente +1.0 & +1.5 on the Asian Handicap here at 1.8810/11, which means we get a half-win if Gil Vicente only lose by one goal, and a full-win if the game is drawn or the hosts manage to secure a shock victory.

Now read our other Bet of the Day here!