With destiny still in their own hands, Estrela Amadora head to Estoril Praia knowing that anything short of victory in this weekend’s final gameweek of the 2024-25 Primeira Liga campaign could jeopardise their survival hopes.
The visitors sit just above the relegation playoff spot with 29 points, holding a slender two-point cushion over AVS and SC Farense in 16th and 17th, respectively, while the hosts have only pride left to play for, having already secured safety.
Match preview
A 1-0 defeat in last weekend’s relegation scrap against AVS means Estrela walked away with just a single point from both league fixtures this season, a return that leaves them staring down the barrel.
Now at a disadvantage if it comes to the head-to-head tiebreaker, the Tricolours, who also lost home and away to SC Farense, must find a way to take all three points here or risk seeing their survival hopes vanish.
Estrela have only managed two wins from their last 11 matches, both of which were followed by a pair of defeats within their last eight outings.
Curiously, all eight of those fixtures have seen only one side hit the net, with Jose Faria‘s men keeping two clean sheets but drawing blanks in the other six — a trend that highlights the fine margins they must master at both ends of the pitch if they are to take anything here.
Yet, the Tricolours face a side that put four past them in the reverse encounter, having suffered a 4-2 defeat, and history at Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota offers little comfort given Estrela also lost on their only previous visit to the ground.
Their record on the road this season tells a similarly bleak story, with Faria’s men rooted at the bottom of the away league standings, managing just two wins from 16 top-flight matches (D4, L10).
This struggles stem largely from their woes in the final third, having scored only six goals on their travels — the fewest in the division — a damning stat for a team in desperate need of maximum points.
Estoril, by contrast, enter this fixture with nothing riding on the outcome, having already locked up safety while also achieving their highest points tally since returning to the top flight in the 2021-22 campaign.
Ian Cathro‘s men have collected 43 points from 11 wins, 10 draws and 12 defeats to sit ninth in the Primeira Liga standings, with victory this weekend capable of lifting them as high as seventh depending on other results.
However, their recent home form leaves room for concern, as the Canaries are winless in their last four at Antonio Coimbra, losing each of the last three.
That said, Estoril will take heart from a spirited 2-2 comeback draw away to Moreirense last time out, where late goals from Felix Bacher and Alejandro Marques salvaged a point from two goals down, a momentum the hosts will hope to carry into Saturday’s finale.
Team News
After coming off the bench to score the equaliser against Moreirense, Marques could be rewarded with a starting berth in attack.
Pedro Alvaro is ruled out through suspension after reaching the yellow card threshold, paving the way for Eliaquim Mangala to step in at the heart of the defence.
Midfielder Xeka faces a late fitness test to determine his availability for the final game of the campaign.
The visitors, meanwhile, are not expected to be without any key players, with Diogo Travassos set to return from suspension and likely to reclaim his spot on the right side of defence.
Alan Ruiz is also back in contention after serving a ban and should slot in out wide, with either Jovane Cabral or Chico Banza expected to make way.
Estoril Praia possible starting lineup:
Chamorro; Bacher, Boma, Mangala; Amaral, Holsgrove, Zanocelo, Pina; Begraoui, Marques, Carvalho
Estrela Amadora possible starting lineup:
Costa; Varela, Drame, Pantalon, Travassos; Oudrhiri, Bucca, Moreira; Ruiz, Kikas, Cabral
We say: Estoril Praia 2-0 Estrela Amadora
While neither side have been convincing of late, Estoril’s freedom to play without pressure could tilt the balance in their favour, particularly against an Estrela side whose attacking woes may once again come back to haunt them.
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