Afghanistan
Angola
Argentina
Asia (AFC)
Asian Games
Australia
Belgium-Netherlands
Brazil
Burkina Faso
Central American & Caribbean Games
Central American Games
Congo DR
Denmark
England
Europe (UEFA)
FYR Macedonia
Finland
Germany
Greece
International Tournaments
Italy
Mediterranean Games
Mexico
National
Nepal
North & Central America (Concacaf)
Palestine
Pan American Games
Panama
Russia
Scandinavia
Serbia And Montenegro
South American Games
Spain
Syria
USA
Venezuela
World (FIFA)
Yemen
Zimbabwe

Vizelavs.Estrela Amadora

sportsmole.co.uk, 9 May 2024, 20:55
Estrela Amadora will attempt to remain clear of the Primeira Liga relegation zone when they travel to face Vizela at Estadio Do Vizela on Saturday afternoon.

The hosts will see out the final two games of the season as a formality after their fate was confirmed last weekend, while the visitors are just two points above the drop.

Match preview

After a dismal campaign, Vizela saw their relegation to Liga Portugal II confirmed in gameweek 32 when they suffered their 18th league defeat of the season, beaten 1-0 by last season's promotion winners Moreirense.

That result brought an end to a three-season stint in the top flight for Vizelenses and marked their seventh consecutive league match without victory, including six losses and a 1-1 draw against Rio Ave.

With 22 points, they now trail second-bottom Chaves by one point and Portimonense in the relegation playoff spot by six. Even if all three clubs end the season on 28 points, Vizela will still end bottom since, in the duels between the three teams, the men from Portimao have 10 points, the Flavians six, and the Minhotos one.

Ruben de la Barrera's second match in charge after taking over from Pablo Villar in December was against this opponent and ended 1-1, but the new boss failed to steer the side to safety from then on, managing just two wins, five draws and 11 losses across his 18 games at the helm.

With this being Vizela's final home game of the season, they will want to give their home fans something to cheer, though they have failed to win their last three at Estadio Do Vizela and have only emerged victorious twice in 16 games on home soil.

Meanwhile, Estrela Amadora is the only of the three newly promoted teams still fighting for survival at this late stage of the season. However, if they win this match and Portimonense fails to beat Rio Ave, their top-flight status will be guaranteed

The Tricolores played to a 0-0 result last weekend against Arouca, marking their fourth drawn game in their last five and their seventh consecutive league match without victory dating back to the start of March.

That result was also Sergio Vieira's side fourth away draw on the bounce and extended their winless streak on the road to 12 matches. Estrela have only won one of their 16 away games across the season - a 1-0 win against Casa Pia back in October.

While three points will undoubtedly be the target, the visitors will likely settle for a point here, which should keep them out the drop heading into the final week when they face Gil Vicente at home, while Portimonense will have a difficult trip to Estadio de Sao Luis to contend with.

Vizela Primeira Liga form:

L

L

L

L

D

L

Estrela Amadora Primeira Liga form:

L

D

D

D

L

D

Team News

Sava Petrov's last match for Vizela was in their 1-0 loss to Chaves on April 15, when he sustained a serious cruciate ligament injury, and he is now facing a lengthy stint on the sidelines, which will likely see him miss the start of next season as well.

The only other injury absentee for the hosts in this match is Bruno Costa, who is recovering from a muscle injury, and he is not expected to return before the end of the current campaign.

Estrela are also down two players due to injury, with Gustavo Henrique (meniscus tear) and Diogo Fonseca (knock) both ruled out for the final two games of the league season.

The club's top-scorer Kikas has netted four goals in his last eight games and will be hoping to return to the starting 11 after being dropped for Rodrigo Pinho in the 0-0 draw to Arouca last weekend.

Vizela possible starting lineup:

Ruberto; Silva, Goncalves, Anderson, Lebedenko; Nascimento, Sasmu; Soro, Quina, Lokilo; Essende

Estrela Amadora possible starting lineup:

Brigido; Mansur, Mendes, Santos; Felipe, Bucca, De Souza, Nilton; Luiz, Kikas, Jaba

We say: Vizela 1-1 Estrela Amadora

While Vizela are playing only for pride from here on, Estrela's relegation battle is still ongoing, and they will know that this is about the best opponent they could have chosen to face in the penultimate match of the season. However, the Tricolores have struggled mightily to win on the road, drawing each of their last four, and we feel they will end up taking only a point from this one as well.

Previews by email

Top News

24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Avoiding a catastrophic sixth defeat in a row will be the aim for Manchester City when Feyenoord touch down at the Etihad for Tuesday's Champions League league phase showdown. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal have reportedly reached a decision over how to handle the future of Jorginho in the January transfer window. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Hull City will be bidding to avoid a fourth straight defeat in the Championship when they continue their 2024-25 campaign with a home fixture against Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday night. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Sparta Prague and Atletico Madrid will lock horns for the first time in their respective histories on Tuesday night, and both sides will be under pressure to pick up a positive result due to their issues in the Champions League this season. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk There will be a blockbuster contest in the Champions League at Allianz Arena on Tuesday night, as German giants Bayern Munich welcome French champions Paris Saint-Germain. 24 November 2024 talksport.com Jose Mourinho emphatically dismissed the Cristiano Ronaldo transfer links to Fenerbahce. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola can be expected to make sweeping changes for Tuesday's Champions League league phase encounter with Feyenoord at the Etihad Stadium. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk In full-blown crisis mode after their fifth straight defeat across all competitions, meek Manchester City seek a shot at retribution in Tuesday's Champions League league phase match at home to Feyenoord. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona will be aiming to return to winning ways when they take on French outfit Brest in the Champions League on Tuesday night. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk A Champions League classic could be in store on Tuesday evening, when Sporting Lisbon host Arsenal at the Estadio Jose Alvalade in each side's fifth league phase match of the campaign. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta is likely to tinker with his starting XI for Tuesday's Champions League battle with Sporting Lisbon in Portugal. 24 November 2024 talksport.com Hakim Ziyech had his head in his hands as he missed an open goal from eight yards out on Saturday night. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Having hinted at a winter revival with a morale-boosting Premier League success, Arsenal resume Champions League duties away to Portuguese titans Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday evening. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Seeking a third straight Champions League win, Italian giants AC Milan will meet struggling Slovan Bratislava at Stadion Tehelne Pole on Tuesday evening. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal could reportedly table an 'astronomical' offer to sign AC Milan and Netherlands midfielder Tijjani Reijnders next summer. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee has supposedly been offered the chance to continue in the Premier League with Aston Villa should he depart the Red Devils next year. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United have supposedly seen an approach to sign a highly-rated Real Madrid midfielder rejected by the player himself. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Reeling from their latest and undoubtedly their most humiliating setback yet, Manchester City have many wrongs to right in Tuesday's Champions League clash with Feyenoord at the Etihad. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Refreshed and rejuvenated after the international break, Arsenal resume their Champions League adventure away to Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday evening. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk With all eyes fixed on the January transfer market, clubs around the UK and Europe are already lining up potential mid-season moves. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Sivasspor vs. Kasimpasa (Sunday, 10.30am) Kasimpasa begin life under new manager Hakan Keles when they travel to Sivasspor in the Turkish Super Lig this weekend. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Nijmegen vs. Utrecht (Sunday, 11.15am) In-form sides NEC and FC Utrecht will be looking to keep their momentum going when they face off against each other at the Goffertstadion on Sunday afternoon. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Holstein Kiel vs. Mainz (Sunday, 2.30pm) Holstein Kiel will hope to use their home crowd at Holstein-Stadion to spur them to victory against Mainz 05 in the Bundesliga on Sunday, as they continue their quest for survival. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Genoa vs. Cagliari (Sunday, 11.30am) Aiming for a victory to start Patrick Vieira's tenure positively, Genoa seek maximum against a Cagliari side one place ahead of them in the Serie A table ahead of Sunday's gameweek 13 match at Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris. 24 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Osasuna vs. Villarreal (Sunday, 1.00pm) Fifth will welcome fourth in an intriguing La Liga contest on Sunday afternoon, with Villarreal making the trip to El Sadar Stadium to tackle Osasuna. 23 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain have reportedly stepped up their interest in signing Chelsea's Josh Acheampong, whose contract stand-off with the Blues is showing no signs of ending anytime soon. 23 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Turkish Super Lig titans Galatasaray have supposedly emerged as shock contenders to prise Alisson Becker away from Liverpool next summer. 23 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United have supposedly added Paris Saint-Germain defender and former Ruben Amorim protege Nuno Mendes to their left-back shortlist for 2025. 23 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool have a psychological advantage in the title race and can truly stake their claim as favourites by capitalising on their rivals' weaknesses over the coming weeks in the Premier League, Reds expert David Lynch has argued. 23 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk La Liga Barcelona were stunned on Saturday evening as Celta Vigo scored twice in the final exchanges of their contest to secure a point in a pulsating 2-2 draw at the Estadio Municipal de Balaidos.