Rio Ave vs AVS - prediction, team news, lineups

Bottom-side AVS would beryllium confirmed relegated should they endure decision to Rio Ave successful Friday’s Primeira Liga matchday 30 opener astatine Vila bash Conde.

The Vila das Aves visitors are 13 points adrift of Casa Pia, who inhabit the playoff spot with a crippled successful hand, portion the hosts beryllium 11th successful the Portuguese top-flight table, holding an eight-point cushion implicit the information zone.

Match preview

The hard spell suffered earlier successful the twelvemonth present feels similar a happening of the past for Rio Ave, who endured a six-match losing tally betwixt mid-January and precocious February, during which Sotiris Silaidopoulos’s presumption came nether pressure.

A goalless gully against Famalicao brought that tally to an end, and portion it was not the astir eye-catching result, it did amusement signs of betterment and reinforced content that the squad could crook things around.

That has so proved to beryllium the case, with Rio Ave winning 4 of their past 5 matches (L1), and lone Sporting Lisbon (13) person picked up much points successful that play than the Vilacondenses.

In what was a cleanable effect to their defeat to Alverca the erstwhile match, the Vila bash Conde broadside recorded a 2-0 triumph astatine Santa Clara past weekend, contempt being without the in-form Jalen Blesa, with a 50th-minute Tamas Nikitscher opener and Sidney Lima’s ain extremity securing maximum points.

This means Riovilistas person recovered the nett astatine slightest doubly successful 3 of their past 5 games, and with the nine present wide of contiguous relegation danger, Silaidopoulos's absorption volition beryllium connected surpassing past season's tally of 38 points, with Rio Ave presently connected 33 from 29 games played.

A triumph present would spell a agelong mode towards that people and each but unafraid their top-flight presumption for a 5th consecutive campaign, though their location form, with conscionable 3 wins from 14 matches (D4, L7), leaves immoderate country for caution.

Meanwhile, AVS stay the lone broadside yet to triumph a league crippled connected the roadworthy this season, picking up conscionable 4 draws from 14 specified outings, which makes them the weakest travellers successful the division.

Even if Joao Henriques’s broadside negociate to assertion their archetypal distant triumph of the Premeira Liga run this weekend, their endurance hopes could inactive beryllium dashed if results elsewhere spell against them, perchance bringing an extremity to their two-year enactment successful the apical formation aft surviving via the playoffs past term.

AVS’ concern mightiness person looked somewhat amended heading into this circular had they taken their chances successful last weekend’s 1-1 gully with Vitoria de Guimaraes, wherever Tomane’s equaliser ensured a constituent and ended a six-match scoring drought.

However, the Vila das Aves nine are present winless successful their past 7 matches (D4, L3) and person managed conscionable 1 triumph successful 29 league outings this play (D9, L19), casting uncertainty implicit their quality to instrumentality maximum points this weekend.

There is besides small to gully connected successful presumption of head-to-head history, with AVS signaling a win, a gully and a decision crossed the erstwhile 3 meetings betwixt the sides, their lone nonaccomplishment coming successful a 2-1 reverse successful December.
 

Rio Ave Primeira Liga form:

AVS Primeira Liga form:

Team News

Rio Ave travel into this crippled with a mostly cleanable measure of health, arsenic Brandon Aguilera remains the lone confirmed absentee, giving Silaidopoulos plentifulness of options.

Blesa was a notable omission past clip retired but was rested arsenic a precaution, and the forward, who has scored 5 goals crossed his past 4 appearances, is expected to instrumentality to the starting lineup.

That could spot Tamble Monteiro driblet to the bench, which whitethorn beryllium the lone alteration from the broadside that won astatine Santa Clara past weekend.

As for AVS, astatine slightest 1 alteration could beryllium seen, with winger Tunde Akinsola a large uncertainty aft being forced disconnected past weekend.

If Akinsola is deemed unfit, helium volition articulation Antoine Baroan connected the sidelines, with the second inactive recovering from an wounded helium sustained successful the Taca de Portugal clash with Sporting earlier successful the year.
 

Rio Ave imaginable starting lineup:

Van der Gouw; Vrousai, Brabec, Mancha, Abbey; Nikitscher, Ntoi; Bezerra, Pohlmann, Spikic; Blesa

AVS imaginable starting lineup:

Adriel; Pivo, Devenish, Vitor, Rivas; Mendonca, Roni, Lima; G Neiva, Tomane, Green

We say: Rio Ave 2-0 AVS

Both teams person plentifulness astatine stake, with Rio Ave adjacent to securing endurance and AVS warring to debar relegation.

However, the visitors’ mediocre distant grounds and existent signifier marque this a hard assignment, and with momentum successful their favour, the hosts should person capable to travel done with a controlled victory.
 

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