Stuttering Gil Vicente welcome Famalicao on Monday evening for matchday 22 of the Primeira Liga, aiming to put an end to their dismal run.
The hosts sit 13th in the standings with 22 points after losing each of their last three matches, while the visitors have accumulated 25 points from five wins, 10 draws and six defeats, placing them ninth.
Match preview
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Vicente's dip in form, marked by defeats to AVS, Estoril Praia and most recently a 2-0 loss to Braga, is slowly dragging them into a relegation battle they will be desperate to avoid.
This run has seen Bruno Pinheiro's side plummet four places down the table, cutting their once seven-point cushion above 16th place to just four.
Before their recent slump, the Roosters had enjoyed an impressive seven-game unbeaten streak, six of which came in the league, winning three and drawing the others, but their current struggles bring back memories of familiar woes.
Prior to that run, Vicente endured a torrid spell between late October and early December, a period in which they lost four consecutive matches.
Now just one setback away from matching that unwanted record, the Gilistas must find a way to avoid defeat as they welcome a side who claimed a 2-1 victory over them in their last meeting at Estadio Cidade de Barcelos.
However, the hosts will take some comfort in their decent form at the ground this season, having collected 16 points from a possible 30, making them the 10th-best home side in the division.
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After drawing 1-1 in the reverse fixture, Famalicao will back themselves to secure their third-highest points tally in this Primeira Liga encounter within a single campaign, having earned six points in both 2019-20 and 2023-24.
However, victories have been rare in recent times for the visitors, who come into this clash off the back of a goalless stalemate against Vitoria de Guimaraes at Estadio Municipal 22 de Junho, marking a second successive home game with that same outcome after their draw with Estrela Amadora.
Those results bookended a 2-0 triumph on their trip to bottom-placed Boavista, which remains their only victory in their last 11 league outings.
Fama will now look to draw confidence from that success as a potential catalyst for a stronger run of form, and if they can secure another positive result, it would mark consecutive away wins for just the second time this season.
Famalicao have collected 13 points from 10 top-flight encounters on the road, placing them as the seventh-best travellers in the division.
Team News
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Jorge Aguirre is unavailable as he serves his ban following a red card against Braga, creating an opportunity for Carlos Eduardo to make his first start for his new club.
On the other hand, Ruben Fernandes returns after missing the last match due to suspension and is expected to partner Josue Sa at the heart of the defence.
Sphephelo Sithole remains sidelined with a ligament injury, while Pablo is doubtful, having missed the previous two games.
For the visitors, Enea Mihaj picked up his fifth yellow card of the season in the last outing, ruling him out for this fixture, with Leo Realpe likely to step in on Monday.
Mario Gonzalez's departure on loan to Ekstraklasa side Lech Poznan leaves Vaclav Sejk as the primary option to lead the attack, while Ivan Zlobin remains unavailable due to kidney issues.
Gil Vicente possible starting lineup:
Andrew; Cruz, Fernandes, Josue Sa, Ze Carlos; Fujimoto, Gbane, Caseres; Toure, Eduardo, Correia
Famalicao possible starting lineup:
Carevic; Pinheiro, Realpe, De Haas, Soares; Van de Looi, Amorim; Sorriso, Sa, Aranda; Sejk
We say: Gil Vicente 1-1 Famalicao
This is a meeting between two sides struggling for form, with the hosts enduring a rough patch and Famalicao finding wins hard to come by.
Despite Fama's recent away victory, their wavering performances remain a concern, while Vicente's three-match losing streak could help push this tightly contested encounter toward a stalemate.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Adeyeye Oluwapelumi
