Ahead of big UEFA Champions League week, Porto, Sporting Lisbon, play Friday in Liga NOS; odds and predictions

What a week it will be for the top teams in Portugal's Liga NOS.

Today, Porto will visit Gil Vicente, while defending champions Sporting Lisbon will host Maritimo.

But those are just the appetizers.

Tuesday, Porto will play host to Liverpool in UEFA Champions League Group B action, in a rematch of the 2019 quarterfinal won by the English side on the way to their title. The same day, Sporting will head to Germany to face Borussia Dortmund in Group D action.

Wednesday, Benfica will host Barcelona in Group E, and will have a good shot to beat the reeling former superpower.

It might be interesting to watch if the Porto and Sporting have one eye on Tuesday when they set their lineups today, but I think it should not matter much.

Check Fubo.TV, Paramount+, and ESPN+ for TV schedules

PORTUGAL PREMEIRA LIGA NOS

Sporting Lisbon (-345) v Maritimo Funchal (+900), draw (+420), 2 p.m. EDT (GOLTV and Fubo.TV)

Gil Vicente (+750) v FC Porto (-265), draw (+335), 4:15 p.m. EDT (GOLTV and Fubo.TV)

THE PICKS:

Sporting -1.5 (-108)

Sporting win to nil (-105)

Porto -1.25 AH (+100)

BONUS PLAYS:

Porto win to nil (+115)

Porto over 2.5 goals (+195)

PARLAY:

Sporting ML and Porto ML, pays about -110