Pacos de Ferreira continue their battle for survival as they take a trip to the Estadio Municipal Eng. Manuel Branco Teixeira to face Chaves in the Primeira Liga on Saturday.

The Flavienses, on the other hand, will be looking to pick up a third victory on the bounce for the first time since last April as they look to keep their quest for European football alive.

Match preview

Chaves turned in a resilient team performance last Monday when they came from behind to pick up a 2-1 victory over Famalicao at Estadio Municipal de Famalicao.

Following a goalless first half, Pablo Felipe put the Vila Nova ahead eight minutes into the second, but the visitors turned the game on its head in the closing 10 minutes courtesy of an own goal from Ricceli and Joao Teixeira's 89th-minute penalty.

Monday's comeback should give the Flavienses a huge boost in their late charge for European football as they currently sit five points behind fifth-placed Arouca in the table with three games to go.

Vitor Campelos's side head into the weekend unbeaten in each of their last five matches, picking up three wins and two draws since April's 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Braga.

While Chaves are currently on their longest run of successive games without defeat this season, next up is a Pacos de Ferreira side who are unbeaten in their last four meetings, claiming two wins and two draws since a 4-2 loss in November 2017.

Cesar Peixoto's men were sent crashing back to earth last Sunday when they were hammered 4-0 by league powerhouse Sporting Lisbon at the Estadio Capital do Movel.

Marafona scored a seventh-minute own goal and opened the floodgates as Nuno Santos, Francisco Trincao and substitute Youssef Chermiti all hit the target to hand the Leoes a resounding victory.

This followed a 2-1 victory over Vizela at the Estadio do FC Vizela on April 29, when Nicolas Gaitan and Paulo Bernardo scored first-half goals to bring the Pacenses' five-game winless run to an end.

Pacos de Ferreira have now lost 21 of their 31 matches so far, while picking up five wins and five draws to collect 20 points and sit 17th in the Primeira Liga table, three points off Maritimo in the relegation playoff spot.

The Pacenses' underwhelming campaign has been down to their struggles at the defensive end of the pitch, where they have kept the division's fewest number of clean sheets (3) and have allowed 56 goals so far — with only Maritimo (58) conceding more.

Team News

Spanish midfielder Jonathan Arriba has been out of action since January through a muscle injury and will play no part in this weekend's match.

Campelos will also be unable to call upon the Portuguese duo of Eduardo Borges and goalkeeper Goncalo Pinto, who continue their spells on the sidelines.

Despite Pacos de Ferreira's underwhelming campaign, Adrian Butzke has been a standout performer and the Granada loanee, who has six goals in 11 starts this season, should lead the attack once again.

He should be joined in the final third by Uilton Silva and former Atletico Madrid man Nicolas Gaitan, who has six goal involvements in the league this season.

Erick Ferigra was an unused substitute against Sporting Lisbon last time out and the 24-year-old should return to the fold, forming the centre-back pairing with experienced defender Maracas.

Chaves possible starting lineup:
Fagundes; Monte, Ponck, Queiros, Langa; Guimaraes, Mendes; Abass, Teixeira, Euller; Juninho

Pacos de Ferreira possible starting lineup:
Marafona; Delgado, Ferigra, Maracas, Bastos; Carlos, Bernardo, Holsgrove; Gaitan, Uilton, Butzke

We say: Chaves 2-0 Pacos de Ferreira

Pacos de Ferreira have seen their Primeira Liga status come under threat as they find themselves scrambling for points at the wrong end of the table. Chaves, meanwhile, have picked up an impressive late-season form and we are backing them to come out on top on Saturday as they push for the Europa Conference League ticket.

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