Arouca vs Nacional – News and Probable Lineups

With only two points separating them in the lower section of the standings, Arouca will clash with Nacional at the Estadio Municipal de Arouca in the 23rd round of the Portuguese Primeira Liga on Saturday.

Nacional, who have not emerged victorious in their last eight encounters against Arouca, will attempt to turn the tide this weekend and grab their first away win since October.

Match overview

Arouca suffered a dramatic 3-2 defeat to Casa Pia last Saturday in a match that saw five goals at the Estádio Municipal de Rio Maior.

In a whirlwind first half, Rafael Brito and Cassiano struck swiftly to equalize Ivan Barbero’s 11th-minute goal, before an own goal by Abdu Conte tied the game once more. Cassiano then converted a penalty just before half-time to give Casa Pia the lead.

Arouca had previously achieved two wins in a row, dominating Rio Ave with a 3-0 scoreline at Estadio dos Arcos on January 31, followed by a narrow 3-2 victory against Vitoria de Guimaraes at home, marking their first back-to-back league wins in over a year.

Vasco Seabra’s squad has recorded exactly half of their results this season as defeats from the 22 Primeira Liga matches played, just three short of their entire total from last season. They have collected six wins and five draws for a total of 23 points, placing them 12th in the league, tied on points with Estrela Amadora in 11th place.

Similar to their opponents, Nacional has also found it tough to secure results in the lower half of the table, having recently lost 1-0 to Porto at the Estadio da Madeira.

Although Nacional held their composure against the league leaders for the majority of the match, veteran defender Jan Bednarek headed in a corner from Gabri Veiga in the 60th minute, which marked Porto’s first league win since January 26.

Nacional has now failed to win seven of their past eight games, suffering four defeats and earning three draws, with their sole victory during that stretch occurring on January 25, when they defeated Rio Ave 4-0 at home.

After finishing in 14th place last season, Tiago Margarido’s team is bracing for another battle to maintain their top-flight status, currently sitting in 14th with just 21 points from 22 league matches, only four points above the relegation playoff position.

While Nacional will aim to regain their form this weekend, their away results provide little hope, as they have not managed to win any of their last eight away fixtures across all competitions, including three losses in their last three games since the start of the year.

Team News

Arouca will be without Spanish midfielder Mateo Flores, who has not participated in the last three matches due to a muscle injury sustained against Sporting Lisbon in January.

Joining him on the injury list is fellow midfielder Pedro Santos, who is also expected to miss his sixth consecutive match after picking up an injury against Tondela on January 3.

On the other hand, Nacional will be missing a number of players in crucial positions, including Ivanildo Fernandes, Lucas Franca, and Brazilian defender Ulisses, who are all sidelined.

Portuguese defender Joao Aurelio has missed the last four matches due to injury and will not be available for the visitors, while countryman Filipe Soares has been ruled out since November.

Additionally, Brazilian midfielder Lizeiro will be absent for this weekend’s match after receiving a yellow card against Porto that triggered a suspension.

Arouca probable starting XI:

Arruabar’s; Esgaio, Kuipers, Sanchez, Fontan; Van Ee, Fukui; Trezza, Lee, Djouahra; barber

Nacional probable starting XI:

Pereira; Nunez, Vitor, Goncalves, Gomes; SILVA, Dias, Labidi; Witi, Ramirez, Bóia

With only one defeat in their last 10 encounters, Arouca has a favorable record heading into this matchup and will aim to continue their strong performance in this fixture.

Nacional’s recent away form has left much to be desired, and given that Arouca has lost just one of their last four home matches, the visiting team may struggle yet again this weekend.