Famalicão vs. Marítimo – News and Probable Lineups

Looking for their first win of the 2026-27 Primeira Liga season, Famalicao will face newly promoted Maritimo at Estadio Municipal 22 de Junho on Sunday in a match scheduled for the second round.

The Vila Nova side found themselves in a 1-1 stalemate away at Estoril Praia during the opening weekend, while the visitors from Funchal made a triumphant return to the top league, securing a 1-0 win over Casa Pia at home.

Match overview

Last weekend’s draw against Estoril marked Carlos Carvalhal’s initial competitive match as head coach of Famalicao, following his appointment in July, but the seasoned manager would have preferred to start with a victory.

The Vila Nova did get off to a bright start in that match, taking the lead shortly after the 30-minute mark thanks to summer signing Georgios Koutsias, but a goal from Yanis Begraoui in the 72nd minute ensured they only shared the points.

Nonetheless, the outcome means that Famalicao has remained unbeaten in their last 13 matches in the Primeira Liga, having finished the previous campaign without a loss in their last 12 fixtures, securing fifth place in the standings—their highest ever finish in Portugal’s top division.

However, this ranking was not sufficient to guarantee a spot in European competitions after Torreense’s surprising triumph over Sporting Lisbon in the Taca de Portugal final altered the landscape of continental qualification, thus the Vila Nova will be targeting a more secure position this season.

Famalicao is optimistic about securing a win in this weekend’s fixture, especially considering their strong home performance from the last campaign, where they amassed 31 points from 17 league games at Municipal 22, with only the traditional “big three” accumulating more points.

Meanwhile, Maritimo could hardly have hoped for a better restart in the Primeira Liga, with Raphael Guzzo’s strike in the 61st minute proving enough to defeat Casa Pia at their own ground in Funchal.

This victory positions the Madeira club as one of only four teams in the division to collect maximum points on the first matchday, indicating that Maritimo could be well-prepared for their life among the elite, following their Liga 2 title win under Miguel Moita last season, thus ending a three-year absence from the top tier.

Mitchell van der Gaag, who previously served as an assistant to Erik ten Hag at Ajax and Manchester United, has taken over as head coach at Maritimo this summer, returning to a club where he had previously played and coached.

Another away victory in Famalicao would be a remarkable start to the season for Maritimo, although even securing a point would be a considerable achievement, especially given that Maritimistas have managed just one win in their last nine away games against their Vila Nova counterparts (D3, L5).

Team News

Famalicao appears to have come through their match against Estoril without any new injuries, hence head coach Carvalhal may opt to maintain the same starting XI, since he observed his revamped side performing well during the preparations.

Koutsias is expected to lead the attack once more after scoring in his competitive debut for the Vila Nova, with Sorriso and Gil Dias providing support along the wings, while Pedro Santos is likely to continue in the number 10 position.

Maritimo also completed their opening match victory over Casa Pia seemingly injury-free, so head coach Van der Gaag is likely to keep his winning lineup, with Alfonso Pastor expected to stay in goal.

Adrian Butzke operated as Maritimo’s central striker in that game and is anticipated to maintain that role, with Guzzo expected to hold onto his spot in midfield following his decisive performance.

Famalicao probable starting XI:

Carevic; Pinheiro, Realpe, Van Breemen, Bondo; Van de Looi, De Amorim; Days, Saints, Smile; Koutsias

Maritimo probable starting XI:

Shepherd; Henrique, Correia, Fernandes, Juliao; Andrade, Guzzo, Danilovic; Tejon, Butzke, Bouzaidi

Famalicao’s superior experience at this level, coupled with home advantage, should provide Carvalhal’s team with a strong foundation to build on their encouraging start in the opening weekend and achieve their first win of the season.

Maritimo demonstrated last weekend that they will not be easy opponents upon their return to top-flight football, yet the elevation in quality from Liga 2 is likely to prove significant over the course of 90 minutes in Vila Nova de Famalicao.