Portimonense - Arouca predictions and free betting tips [03/02/2024]

The 20th round of the Portuguese Primeira Liga is kicking off. Let’s start predicting with a match between two mid-table teams. Portimonense will take on Arouca at their municipal stadium "Portimão".

Portimonense

The teams are close to each other in the league, where one or two slip-ups can easily lead you from midway to the outsiders. Portimonense is exactly in such a situation where any match is crucial, especially against a direct competitor.

There are those games when things go well for Paulo Sérgio's footballers. For instance, in the last round against Boavista there were no problems at all, although it seemed that Portimonense would aim for a minimum task, namely not to lose. In the first half, Sérgio's players scored three unanswered goals, although, according to Xg, their rate was 0.39 versus defence operated Portimonense before the break. A similar victory was achieved by the club from Portimão in the 17th round over Farense, when there were not so many episodes of attack by Sérgio's footballers, but they made their goal and played 1.5 goals according to Xg.

In the table, Portimonense's task is not to fall into the outsiders' trio, so they must try to score points in the matches where it is possible to do them. The composition played by Paulo Sérgio. The match against Arouca will miss Eliu Varela due to an excess of yellow cards, and there is a question about the goalkeeper's position, it is interesting whether the head coach of Portimonense will put Kosuke Nakamura from the first minutes or will return to the main Vinicius Silvestre, who stopped satisfying Sérgio as a starting goalkeeper.

It is important for Portimonense not to lose to Arouca, because any failure is akin to a big collapse given the current state of affairs in the Primeira Liga table. Of course, the team from Portiman can defeat such an opponent, but they will also be quite satisfied with a draw, if suddenly it does not strategically turn out to approach the team from a town-type settlement correctly.

Arouca

The club from the Aveiro District started to win frequently in the championship. If you take a dozen matches in the Primeira Liga, then Arouca won half of them and there was a draw with Rio Ave. There were no loud sensations, but most importantly, they beat important rivals. For example, in the last round, Arouca scored 5 goals against Vizela, and before that they managed to beat Estoril, which is located in the lower part of the table.

Arouca said goodbye to the Portuguese Cup, in fact Vizela, who took the 18th place in the relegation zone, beat them, and an own goal deprived Souza's footballers of a ticket to the quarterfinals.

Arouca's team is good, with it you can definitely not fly into the Segunda Division. Francisco Montero will not play against Portimonense due to disqualification, Quaresma is still injured, but I think his fans will hardly see him this season. In my opinion, there is no one to reshuffle in midfield, and there is an order in the attack line. Mujica will traditionally be a central forward, and on the flanks other Spaniards Cristo and Jason should be useful. Morlaye Silla, who did not make it to the Guinea squad for the African Nations Cup, should take the playmaker's position where he sometimes does well.

It won't be easy for Arouca with Portimonense, but the main thing is not to lose in this match, otherwise many will go overtaking Daniel Souza's team in the championship table.

Head-to-head

In the first round, Arouca drew with Portimonense at their home ground, having to play catch-up.

Match prediction: Portimonense - Arouca

Here, we should try betting on a draw in the first half. I believe that the main tasks by the teams will be carried out after the break.