Estrela Amadora vs Tondela – News and Probable Lineups

Estrela Amadora has the chance to create a larger gap between themselves and the relegation zone as they host Tondela at Estadio Jose Gomes for the kickoff of Primeira Liga gameweek 23 this Friday.

The Tricolores are currently positioned 11th in the standings of the Portuguese top tier, sitting six points above the relegation playoff position and eight points clear of their visitors, who are in 17th place and five points away from safety.

Match overview

While Estrela may seem to have a comfortable buffer over the relegation area, if they continue on their current path, the Tricolores could find themselves in another serious survival situation as the season closes.

The Amadorans, who narrowly escaped relegation last season by just two points above the playoff spot, are going through a tough time, having secured only one win in their last six league encounters (D2, L3) since finishing 2025 with a notable victory at Famalicao.

To put their recent struggles into context, two of Estrela’s three losses during this stretch were consecutive heavy defeats to Estoril Praia (5–0) and Benfica (4–0), although their last match in Minho felt more like a near miss rather than a complete humiliation.

After taking an early lead through Paulo Moreira, Joao Nuno’s side ultimately returned from Vitoria de Guimaraes empty-handed after a brief moment of inattention led to them conceding twice in just four minutes, with the 2–1 defeat highlighting the Tricolores’ difficulties against teams higher up the table.

Eight of Estrela’s nine losses in the Primeira Liga this season have come against teams above them in the rankings, but the Amadorans have performed significantly better against those ranked lower, with four of their five league victories — including all three at home — coming against lower-positioned teams; thus, they will enter Friday’s match against their struggling visitors with confidence.

Tondela may find themselves deep within the relegation zone, but Cristiano Bacci’s team has found a glimmer of hope, having gained points in their last three matches following six losses in seven previous games (W1).

The Gold and Greens’ positive momentum commenced with an energetic goalless draw against Benfica, followed by a 2–2 result against an in-form Estoril Praia, and lastly, Joao Silva’s late equalizer earned them a 1–1 draw against Alverca, who played with ten men last weekend.

The Beira club, currently on their longest unbeaten streak of the top-flight season, is two matches away from matching their best run in the Primeira Liga since matchdays 28 and 32 of the 2017–18 season, where they went from three consecutive draws to back-to-back victories.

While replicating this form would significantly boost their survival efforts, especially with Tondela’s next three fixtures against direct relegation rivals — including matches with Santa Clara and Rio Ave — history indicates that the Gold and Greens might still struggle to secure maximum points this weekend.

Following the goalless draw in their previous matchup in September, the Beira club has registered draws in their last three encounters with Estrela, and a winless streak of four games away from home, alongside just two away victories in eleven league matches (D2, L7), raises further concerns over the visitors’ ability to clinch a win on Friday.

Team News

For the upcoming match, Estrela head coach Nuno will be forced to make adjustments, as defender Bernardo Schappo is suspended after receiving his fifth yellow card of the season at Guimaraes.

This could mean Otavio moves into the back three alongside Luan Patrick and Stefan Lekovic, potentially leaving a gap at left wing-back, with Bruno Langa and Yahya Kalley doubtful after missing the last match.

Striker Sydney van Hooijdonk was also absent in that game, casting uncertainty on his availability, while Kevin Jansson may miss a fourth consecutive match due to injury.

Conversely, Tondela boasts an almost fully fit squad, though Nigerian defender Emmanuel Maviram has been out for the last two matches, and his absence could persist in this fixture.

Twenty-nine-year-old striker Jordânia Pefok was also missing last time, leaving his availability for Friday’s match in doubt, which may see Benjamin Kimpioka lead the attack once again.

Estrela Amadora probable starting XI:

Ribeiro; Otavio, Lekovic, Patrick; Ecanda, Moreira, Moustier, B Langa; Marcus, Antonetti, J Cabral

Tondela probable starting XI:

Bernardo; Bebeto, Marques, Medina, Conceicao; Cicero, Sithole; Maranhao, Hodge, Aiko; Kimpioka

Estrela’s strong performance against teams below them in the table is clear, though Tondela’s newfound resilience should not be dismissed.

Given this context, the matchup seems finely poised, and a draw — similar to the last three encounters — appears to be a plausible outcome.