On the final matchday of the 2024-25 Primeira Liga season, out-of-form Famalicao will welcome Casa Pia to Estadio Municipal 22 de Junho on Saturday.
The Famalicences will be looking to finish the campaign by ending their four-game winless run, while Os Gansos will be aiming to close out the term with back-to-back victories.
Match preview
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After a streak of three consecutive triumphs over AVS, Arouca and Estoril Praia at the start of April, Armando Evangelista‘s Famalicao have fallen short of qualifying for European competition with a poor follow up of three losses from their last four matches ahead of this weekend.
On Saturday, the Famalicenses were beaten 2-1 on the road by sixth-placed Santa Clara in a dramatic clash that saw both teams have a player sent off, and though they dropped all three points, the manager will be pleased by the spirit his side showed to only concede the second nine minutes from time.
That defeat left Evangelista’s men eighth in the table with 44 points, a sizeable 10 behind fifth-placed Vitoria Guimaraes, who occupy the division’s spot for entry into the Conference League qualifiers.
Despite being unable to catch up to the European hopefuls, this weekend’s hosts will be keen to end the season strongly with a victory in front of their own fans, and considering that they have won four of their last five at home, as well as avoided defeat across their last seven, they will be confident of a positive result.
Three points on Saturday would be enough for Famalicao to leapfrog their opponents and climb up to seventh place on the final day of the campaign, but a 12th loss this term would give Estoril the chance to drop them down to ninth.
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Meanwhile, Joao Pereira‘s Casa Pia are also unable to qualify for UEFA competition having dropped 12 points in the five matches prior to ending their winless run last time out.
In that game, Os Gansos impressively came from behind to triumph over fourth-placed Sporting Braga, with Fassem Benaissa-Yahia and Jeremy Livolant giving them the lead after Rodrigo Zalazar opened the scoring in the first half.
Their 12th win of the season took Pereira’s side up to seventh, where they now have 45 points, nine fewer than the two clubs still battling for fifth place.
With one game remaining, this weekend’s visitors will be hoping to defend their spot in the table given that both Famalicao and Estoril are within two points, though the fact that they have failed to win any of their last seven on the road – losing four and drawing three – puts their aims in doubt.
A first away victory since January, and just their second of 2025, would see Casa Pia end the season in seventh, but defeat may cause them to fall down to ninth place if the Canarinhos can capitalise.
Team News
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Famalicao will be without striker Vaclav Sejk this weekend after he was sent off against Santa Clara, so expect Simon Elisor to lead the line in his stead.
On the other hand, left-back Pedro Bondo will be available after serving a suspension last time out, though Rafa Soares should start on the left-hand side of Evangelista’s defence once again.
Elsewhere, midfielder Yassir Zabiri is likely to miss out as a result of an ankle injury, and he is unlikely to be back in action until next month.
As for Casa Pia, captaining centre-half Jose Fonte will start after his suspension against Braga, and he should be joined by Andre Geraldes and Duplexe Tchamba in a back three.
Likewise, midfielder Iyad Mohamed was also absent last time out due to a red card he received in the game prior, but he should rejoin Andrian Kraev in the centre of the park on Saturday.
Famalicao possible starting lineup:
Zlobin; Pinheiro, Realpe, De Haas, Soares; Topic, Van De Looi; Gil, Sa, Aranda; Elisor
Casa Pia possible starting lineup:
Sequeira; Geraldes, Fonte, Tchamba; Larrazabal, Kraev, Mohamed, Benaissa-Yahia; Livolant, Cassiano, Pablo
We say: Famalicao 1-1 Casa Pia
Neither side have been in the strongest form going into this clash, but Famalicao have lost three of their last four.
That being said, Casa Pia have been poor on the road and the hosts have performed significantly better on their own turf, so expect both teams to share the spoils on matchday 34.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
