Maritimo vs. Santa Clara – News and Probable Lineups

Seeking to break a frustrating spell in the Primeira Liga, Maritimo will host Santa Clara at the Estadio do Maritimo on Sunday evening.

The home side is currently positioned 14th in the Portuguese top-flight standings, having accrued eight points from nine fixtures, whereas the visitors find themselves in fourth place with 18 points, despite facing their first league loss in their last match.

Match overview

Maritimo has struggled since returning to the top tier, as Mitchell van der Gaag’s squad is winless in seven league games (D2, L5) following their initial two victories against Casa Pia and Famalicao.

The Madeira club’s difficulties were apparent last weekend when they suffered a heavy 5-0 defeat against Vitoria de Guimaraes, followed by another setback midweek, as they were eliminated by Sporting Lisbon in the Taca da Liga quarter-finals.

Van der Gaag’s team at least fought hard against Sporting, though Adrian Butzke’s late effort was merely a consolation in that 2-1 defeat at Estadio Jose Alvalade, leaving the Funchal club with just one win in their last nine competitive matches (D2, L6).

As they return to the Primeira Liga, Maritimo will be eager to avoid a third successive defeat in the competition, a situation they hope to prevent for the second time this season, aware that yet another loss could bring them closer to the relegation zone, with the Islanders being a mere point above the bottom three.

Defensive enhancements are also necessary as O Maior das Ilhas have conceded 19 goals in the league this season, the second-highest among teams in the division, while averaging just one goal scored per match.

Their home form offers little optimism as Maritimo has not secured a victory in their last three home matches (D1, L2), after beginning the season with a win at home in Funchal.

Meanwhile, Santa Clara saw their unbeaten start to the league season come to an end against Benfica, who managed to recover from Fernando’s first-half penalty to secure a 2-1 win in the Azores.

This defeat also marked back-to-back losses for Petit’s squad, who had earlier been eliminated from the Taca de Portugal in extra time by the lower-division team Mafra, leaving the visitors eager to bounce back.

However, Santa Clara has made a significantly better start to the season than during the same period in the 2025-26 campaign, gathering seven more points, predominantly relying on a solid defense.

The team from the Azores has allowed just seven goals in the league this term, with only leaders Porto conceding fewer, and Petit’s men have only let in two goals in four away fixtures this season so far, securing two wins and two draws along the way.

Nevertheless, trips to Maritimo have rarely been straightforward for Santa Clara, as they have recorded only one victory in their last nine visits across both the Primeira Liga and Liga 2, suffering defeats in five of those encounters.

Team News

Maritimo is currently keeping an eye on the fitness of Yellu Santiago, who has not played since their opening match against Casa Pia, while Vladan Danilovic may miss a fourth consecutive fixture.

Additionally, attention will turn to left-back Paulo Henrique, a product of Santa Clara’s youth setup who will face his former team on Sunday.

Santa Clara’s captain and leading goalscorer Goncalo Paciencia remains doubtful after missing the Benfica loss due to an injury sustained during training.

Fernando, who took Paciencia’s place on the attack last match, received a red card after the final whistle; however, he is available as any disciplinary action has been temporarily suspended.

Dje Tavares is also eligible for selection again after completing a one-match suspension following his red card in the cup defeat to Mafra.

Maritimo probable starting XI:

Vieites; Igor Juliao, Correia, Szalai, Henrique; Andrade, Guzzo; Bouzaidi, Alani, Tejon; Butzke

Santa Clara probable starting XI:

France; Soares, Pacheco, Fernandes, Romao; Tavares, Borges, Ribeiro; Vinicius Lopes, Fernando, Brenner

Maritimo’s quest for vital points could render them challenging opponents on their home ground, yet their extended winless stretch and recent defensive issues present a significant hurdle against a well-structured Santa Clara team.

The visitors have been noticeably more consistent this season and possess a commendable away defensive record, so it is anticipated that Petit’s side will respond to their initial league defeat with a narrow victory in Funchal.