Sporting CP Hosts Nottingham Forest in Pre-Season Friendly as Both Clubs Prepare for 2026-27 Campaign

Sporting CP will face Nottingham Forest in a pre-season friendly scheduled for July 31 at Estadio Algarve, with kickoff at 2:45 PM. The fixture serves as a final preparation opportunity for both clubs before the competitive season begins, with Sporting arriving in strong form and Nottingham undergoing significant squad reconstruction under manager Oliver Glasner.

Contrasting Form Heading Into the Match

Sporting enters the encounter on an impressive run, having won three consecutive friendlies during their summer programme. Head coach Rui Borges' side demonstrated attacking prowess with a 7-0 victory over Strasbourg, followed by a 4-1 defeat of Celtic. Most recently, Sporting secured a 2-0 win against Monaco, in which Chelsea loanee Jesse Derry made an impact on his debut and celebrated in the style of Cole Palmer.

Nottingham Forest's pre-season has produced mixed results. Glasner's squad drew 1-1 with Vitoria de Guimaraes in their most recent outing, having defeated Blackburn Rovers 3-0 and Notts County 2-0 in earlier fixtures. The East Midlands club has experienced significant personnel changes, with midfielder Elliot Anderson completing a £116 million transfer to Manchester City. Defender Neco Williams has also attracted interest from other Premier League clubs, including Manchester United.

Tactical Focus and Squad Assessment

Both managers will use the Algarve fixture to evaluate tactical systems and assess squad depth ahead of the new campaign. Glasner has already made one key addition, with Austrian midfielder Xaver Schlager confirmed as the club's first signing under his management. Sporting will lineup in a 4-2-3-1 formation led by defender Inacio, while Nottingham will deploy a 3-5-2 structure under captain White's leadership.

The match provides an opportunity to fine-tune preparations at a critical stage of pre-season. For Nottingham, the trip to Portugal represents a different competitive level compared to their domestic warm-up fixtures, offering Glasner valuable insights into his squad's readiness for Premier League action.