With the match set to decide who sits in top spot of the National Handball Championship, Rui Silva noted: "It is a really important game, because a win will put us right on top of FC Porto and it this could be a win in an arena where we have never won. If we win all three points, then it will show that Sporting has what it takes to take anyone on and to win the league.”

For the Sporting star, the secret to the win will be that Sporting “is in good form. We are fighting for every ball and we will put everything into the game.”

The game will be played more than 300km from Lisbon, but Rui Silva highlighted that the Sporting support in the north of the country can make up for the distances involved: “It is always nice to have the support of our fans, especially in a place like Porto. We need their support if we are to take away all three points.”

The classic is set to get underway at 5:00pm on Saturday in the Dragão Caixa Pavilion.

AA