Estoril Praia and Arouca meet in an important clash at both ends of the Primeira Liga table on Monday night.

Both clubs are potentially one win away from securing their main objective of the season, with Estoril fighting for safety and Arouca chasing Europe.

Match preview

Estoril are the last remaining side who could still be dragged into the relegation dogfight in the final few games of the season.

With three games to go in Portugal's top flight, Ricardo Soares's men are a healthy five points ahead of Maritimo in the relegation playoff spot, but continuation of their dreadful form means they are still looking over their shoulder.

Estoril enter the weekend having lost 19 of their last 25 matches in all competitions, with safety still not guaranteed despite them being European challengers in the first third of the season.

Those early-season points could just be enough to save Estoril thanks to the gap they still have on the sides below them.

A 3-0 win over Santa Clara in their last home outing could turn out to be the decisive moment in keeping Estoril in the division, especially given how poor their away form has been.

Their 1-0 defeat at Boavista last weekend was a 10th successive loss on the road, so they will hope to pick something up here so there is nothing riding on their potentially crucial encounter against Maritimo on the final day.

Arouca have much more to be optimistic about as they chase European qualification for just the second time in their history, after last doing so in 2015-16.

It would mark a remarkable recovery for Arouca, who were playing third division football as recently as 2020.

They are still on course to comfortably finish in a Europa Conference League spot despite losing their last two games against Porto and Rio Ave.

Arouca are five points clear of Chaves who have made a late charge for the top six, but may come up short.

Armando Evangelista's side are slightly fortunate that the other European challengers have faltered similarly, with Famalicao and Boavista both also losing two in a row, while Casa Pia are winless in six.

Team News

Tiago Santos will serve a one-match suspension for Estoril after he was yellow carded against Boavista last week.

James Lea Siliki has yet to return to the squad after serving a ban of his own two weeks ago, but Lucas Africo was back among the substitutes at Boavista following his recovery from injury.

Arouca will be without Palestinian international attacker Oday Dabbagh with a muscular injury here.

Joao Basso is also out with a similar injury, and joins Weverton and Vitinho on the sidelines for the visitors.

Estoril Praia possible starting lineup:
Daniel Leite; Tiago Araujo, Vital, Pedro Alvaro, Joaozinho; Joao Carvalho, Gamboa, Guitane; Gouveia, Marques, Carlos Eduardo

Arouca possible starting lineup:
De Arruabarrena; Milovanov, Galovic, Opoku, Quaresma; Ruiz, Soro, David Simao; Sylla, Mujica, Antony

We say: Estoril Praia 0-1 Arouca

Estoril have been the most out of form side in the top flight during 2023, and are likely to struggle against a side fighting towards the upper end of the table.

Arouca have been notoriously difficult to beat all season, and deservedly find themselves in fifth, as Rio Ave are the only non-top four side to record a victory over them since early September.


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