Guimarães vs Alverca – News and Probable Lineups

On Saturday at the Estadio D. Afonso Henriques, Vitoria de Guimaraes will face Alverca in round 24 of the Primeira Liga, with both teams sitting mid-table.

The Conquerors are currently ninth in the Portuguese top-flight, a notable 11 points behind the top four and nine behind fifth place, yet they hold a five-point lead over their visitors from Ribatejo, who are in 10th.

Match overview

Throughout the league season, Guimaraes has struggled to achieve consistency, with their vulnerabilities becoming increasingly evident after their Taca da Liga success in January, ending a 13-year drought for silverware.

Since that victory, Luis Pinto’s team has lost four out of six league matches (W2), with a 3–2 loss in the Minho derby against Braga last weekend marking a third consecutive defeat away from home.

Despite rallying back from behind twice, the Conquerors were left empty-handed after conceding Rodrigo Zalazar’s winning goal just three minutes after Gustavo Silva had equalized in the second half.

In defeat, Pinto commended his team’s spirited performance during the post-match press conference, asserting that maintaining such courage and commitment in future fixtures “will yield different results.”

Hoping to convert performance into points this weekend, Guimaraes’ improved home form provides some optimism, having won three of their last four league games on home soil (L1), matching their total from the first eight matches of the season (D3, L2).

Nonetheless, there remains a need for better balance at both ends of the pitch, highlighted by their tally of 27 goals scored and 34 conceded in the league, a concern that Pinto must tackle as they aim to revive their European hopes.

On the other hand, Alverca’s current mid-table position, with an eight-point gap above the relegation zone, is a commendable achievement for a team that just returned to the top-flight at the season’s start after spending 22 years in lower divisions, though they have found it difficult to secure victories lately.

After concluding 2025 with a three-match losing streak, Custodio Castro’s squad began the new year with two consecutive wins, but they have since gone without a win in five matches (D3, L2), including last weekend’s 1–1 draw against Santa Clara.

For the second match in a row — following a similar 1–1 draw against Tondela — Marko Milovanovic’s opening goal was not enough for maximum points, as his sixth-minute penalty was equalized in the 76th by Fernando for the Azoreans.

To break their winless streak, the Ribatejo team can draw confidence from their 2–0 victory in the reverse fixture; however, they have never achieved an away win against the Conquerors, having lost four of their previous six encounters on the road.

Alverca’s away record adds to their challenges, with seven defeats in 11 league matches away from home this season (W2, D2), representing the third-worst away performance in the division.

Team News

Guimaraes is likely to be without centre-back Oscar Rivas Viodi, who has been out with a muscle injury since mid-December.

The defensive line could also be further tested by the potential absence of Rodrigo Abascal, who had to leave the pitch in the win over Estrela Amadora on matchday 22.

On the other hand, Alverca is facing new injury issues with midfielder Vasco Moreira and forward Milovanovic leaving the Santa Clara match due to fitness concerns, and it remains unclear whether either will be ready for this weekend.

In addition to those uncertainties, there is growing worry regarding Chissumba, whose injury appears to be more serious than initially thought, with reports suggesting that the left-back might be out for several more weeks after missing the previous match.

Meanwhile, Tomas Mendes is still dealing with a muscle injury, and Stephane Diarra is nearing a return from a similar issue but is unlikely to be part of the squad for the trip to Guimaraes.

Long-term injury absentee Leo Chu will not be available, and defensive midfielder Sabit Abdulai is set to miss his fourth consecutive match.

Vitoria de Guimaraes probable starting XI:

Charles; Strata, Nobrega, Balieiro, J Mendes; BENI, Souza; G Silva, Samu, Saviolo; Oliveira

Alverca probable starting XI:

To Gomes; Naves, S Gomez, Meupiyou; Spencer, Touaizi, Lincoln, I James; Figueiredo, S Lima, Chiquinho

With 11 matches left to play, Guimaraes must experience a significant upturn in results to keep their continental aspirations alive, leaving little room for mistakes in this fixture.

Considering the Conquerors’ positive home form and Alverca’s difficulties away from their own ground, we expect the hosts to narrowly secure a victory in a closely contested match.