Gil Vicente welcome European qualification candidates Arouca to the Estadio Cidade de Barcelos on Sunday evening.

Daniel Sousa's side are currently sitting only four points above the relegation playoff position, while the Arouquenses are the same number of points behind Casa Pia, who occupy the final UEFA Europa Conference League qualification position.

Match preview

Gil Vicente are situated precariously at the wrong end of the standings after losing double the number of matches they have been victorious in throughout the opening half of the 2022-23 Primeira Liga campaign.

Sousa's side sit in 15th position in the standings but have been successful in three of their previous five league matches, including consecutive victories against the familiar backdrop of the Estadio Cidade de Barcelos.

Gil Vicente were successful against Casa Pia on January 22, courtesy of a brace from Fran Navarro and a 54th-minute strike from Carvalho, but suffered a surprise defeat to bottom side Pacos de Ferreira at the Estadio da Mata Real to conclude last month's footballing calendar.

The Gilistas will need to write a new chapter into their record books to secure a much-needed three points on Sunday after failing to beat Arouca across their historical head-to-head chronicles.

Arouca occupy seventh position in the table but will need to improve on their woeful away form, following only two victories on their travels throughout the current league campaign, if they want to finish in fifth position or higher come to the end of the season.

The Arouquenses have participated in only one UEFA-designated tournament across the club's 71-year history, coming in the playoffs for the 2016-17 Europa League campaign. However, Armando Evangelista's side are currently on course to make only a second-ever appearance on European shores if they can maintain their current levels of improving form.

Arouca missed the opportunity to take their place in the 2022-23 Taca da Liga final on January 24 after suffering a 2-1 loss to Portuguese footballing powerhouses Sporting Lisbon and suffered another defeat when returning to Primeira Liga action a week later against Benfica.

Knowing The Eagles were sitting at the summit of the Primeira Liga standings with a five-point gap over their closest title challengers, Arouca found themselves powerless to prevent Roger Schmidt's side from further extending that gap, as the visitors registered a comfortable 3-0 victory.

Evangelista's side have been victorious in seven league matches in the campaign but also suffered six defeats, a ratio which will need to be improved if the Arouquenses want to realise their dreams of competing on the shores of European football next season.

Team News

Following their defeat to Pacos de Ferreira, Gil Vicente manager Daniel Sousa could look to make a change to his starting XI for the match at the Estadio Cidade de Barcelos.

Following his brief appearance from the dugout, on-loan Malaga winger Kevin Villodres could take his place on the Gilistas' starting team sheet come Sunday evening.

Despite conceding twice against the Primeira Liga's bottom club, it is unlikely that Sousa will look to make any changes to his defensive personnel, with Carraca, Ne Lopes, Tomas Araujo and Adrian Marin all expected to line up ahead of goalkeeper Stanislav Kritsyuk once again.

Arouca boss Armando Evangelista could turn to two of the players that began the match on the substitutes' bench against Benfica.

After taking attacking assets Alan Ruiz and Benji Michel off throughout the second half on Tuesday, the man in charge of the Arouquenses could replace the former two players with Bruno Marques and Arsenio Nunes in his weekend lineup.

Gil Vicente possible starting lineup:
Kritsyuk; Carraca, Lopes, Araujo, Marin; Carvalho, Aburjania; Villodres, Fujimoto, Alipour; Navarro

Arouca possible starting lineup:
Arruabarrena; Esgaio, Basso, Galovic, Correia; Soro, Arsenio; Sylla, Marques, Nunes; Dabbagh

We say: Gil Vicente 1-2 Arouca

With Gil Vicente in danger of plying their trade in Liga Portugal 2 for the first time since 2018, we predict that Arouca will implement further relegation turbulence into the hosts' dressing room when referee Artur Soares Dias brings the curtain down on Sunday evening's contest.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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