Tondela vs Nacional - prediction, team news, lineups

Two sides scrambling for information astatine the incorrect extremity of the Portuguese Primeira Liga standings quadrate disconnected connected Saturday arsenic Tondela play big to Nacional astatine the Estadio Joao Cardoso.

With conscionable 5 games to go, the Auriverdes find themselves successful the automatic relegation places, 7 points distant from safety, portion the visitors beryllium conscionable 2 points supra the dreaded bottommost three.

Match preview

Bottom-dwellers Tondela were outclassed and outplayed by Primeira Liga leaders Porto past Sunday arsenic they fell to a 2-0 decision erstwhile the 2 sides squared disconnected astatine the Estadio bash Dragao.

In a one-sided affair, second-half strikes from Gabri Veiga and Victor Froholdt meant Alan Varela’s 39th-minute missed punishment bore nary consequences, arsenic Porto maintained their seven-point pb astatine the apical of the Primeira Liga table.

This marked Tondela’s 16th league decision — 4 shy of their full tally from the 2021-22 run erstwhile they suffered relegation — and extended their winless tally to six games, losing 3 and claiming 3 draws since a 2-0 triumph implicit 10-man Estrela Amadora astatine the Estadio Jose Gomes connected February 20.

Promoted past play aft a three-year lack from the apical flight, Goncalo Feio’s men find themselves successful information of an contiguous instrumentality to the Segunda Liga, arsenic they beryllium 17th successful the league array with 21 points from 29 games, 7 points distant from safety.

On the different hand, Nacional picked up 3 immense points successful their conflict for endurance past play erstwhile they held connected to spot retired a 1-0 triumph implicit Alverca astatine the Estadio da Madeira.

With thing to abstracted the 2 teams aft an uneventful fractional time, Colombian striker Jesus Ramirez delivered the goods erstwhile again, netting his 15th extremity of the run successful the 67th infinitesimal to manus the hosts each 3 points.

Having gone 8 consecutive matches without a triumph betwixt February 1 and March 21, picking up conscionable 2 points from a imaginable 24, Nacional person present won 2 of their past 3 games, with a 2-0 decision against title-chasers Benfica sandwiched betwixt the 2 wins.

This upturn successful signifier has seen Tiago Margarido’s men surge from the doldrums and ascent into 14th spot successful the Primeira Liga table, level connected 28 points with 15th-placed Estrela Amadora and 2 points supra 16th-placed Casa Pia successful the relegation playoff spot.

While Nacional volition beryllium looking to proceed from wherever they near disconnected against Alverca and determination 5 points wide of the information portion heading into the last 3 games, they person failed to triumph their past 4 visits to the Estadio Joao Cardoso successful the Primeira Liga, losing 3 and claiming 1 gully since August 2015.

Tondela Primeira Liga form:

Nacional Primeira Liga form:

Team News

Tondela volition instrumentality to the transportation without the services of Brazilian midfielder Cicero, who has been retired of enactment since sustaining a musculus wounded backmost successful March.

Christian Marques and Brazilian Pedro Maranhao some picked up bookings against Porto past clip retired and volition some miss this weekend’s matchup owed to a one-match suspension.

Meanwhile, Nacional volition person to header without the services of 24-year-old midfielder Chiheb Labidi, who is acceptable to service a one-game suspension aft crossing the yellowish paper threshold with his booking successful the triumph implicit Alverca past clip out.

On the wounded front, the Alvinegros stay without the likes of Ivanildo Fernandes (muscle), Lucas Franca (thigh) and Brazilian defender Ulisses (collarbone), who each proceed their spells connected the sidelines.

Miguel Baeza has missed each of the past 2 games since coming disconnected injured against Estrela connected April 4 and the Spanish midfielder is besides retired of contention for the travel to the Estadio Joao Cardoso.

Tondela imaginable starting lineup:

Bernardo; Manso, Silva, Afonso, Medina, Conceicao; Heide, Hodge, Rodriguez, Moudjatovic; Lopes

Nacional imaginable starting lineup:

Pereira; Nunez, Goncalves, Ze Vitor, Gomes; Junior, Aurelio, Liziero; Veron, Ramirez, Boia

We say: Tondela 1-2 Nacional

While Tondela cognize thing little than a affirmative effect this play could each but extremity their endurance hopes, they are up against a resurgent Nacional broadside who person won 2 of their astir caller 3 games.

With Margarido’s men besides not successful the wide and inactive looking implicit their shoulders, we expect them to proceed from wherever they near disconnected against Estrela and travel distant with each 3 points, albeit by the unusual goal.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.