Preview: AVS vs Rio Ave - prediction, team news, lineups

Still seeking their first win of the Primeira Liga campaign, AVS welcome Rio Ave to Estadio do CD Aves for matchday 13 action on Saturday.

The hosts have managed just three draws from their opening 12 matches to sit bottom of the Portuguese top-flight standings, while the Vilacondenses are 11th on 13 points, four clear of the relegation playoff spot.

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Match preview

Having only scraped survival last term through the playoff route, AVS would have hoped for a steadier second season, but things have unravelled even further. 

Just three points from 12 fixtures leaves the Vila das Aves club seven worse off than at this stage last term, while sitting six points from safety paints a gloomy picture, especially if precedence is something to go by.

No side this century has stayed up after failing to win any of their opening 12 Primeira Liga games, and you would have to go back almost 30 years to find a team with fewer points at this stage that managed to retain top-flight status.

Facing Rio Ave — who once achieved that rare escape themselves — offers a small lifeline for the hosts, whose push for a first victory of the top-flight campaign appears non-negotiable, and Joao Pedro Sousa’s side enter Saturday's clash needing a response after their three-match unbeaten run came crashing to a halt with last week’s heavy defeat in Minho.

The Vila das Aves club had picked up consecutive league draws against Tondela and Gil Vicente, alongside a penalty shootout win in the Portuguese Cup over Academico Viseu, but a first-half collapse saw them fall to a 4-0 loss at Vitoria de Guimaraes last Friday.

That result means AVS have now shipped 29 goals in the Primeira Liga this season — only Arouca (34) have let in more — while their tally of eight scored betters only Tondela’s seven, so Sousa has problems to fix at both ends heading into the weekend.

Returning to familiar territory, however, provides at least a glimmer of hope, considering their recent unbeaten run came at the Aves, and the hosts have further reason for optimism, having claimed a 1-0 victory in last season’s corresponding fixture.

 

A 1-1 draw in 2024-25's return leg completed a two-game winless run for Rio Ave in this fixture, with the sides also sharing an identical scoreline in a pre-season friendly in July, meaning the Vilacondenses head into Saturday’s game seeking their first-ever victory against AVS.

That unfavourable head-to-head is just one of several hurdles for the visitors, with pressure beginning to grow on head coach Sotiris Silaidopoulos after only two wins from 12 Primeira Liga matches. 

A league-high seven draws underline Rio Ave’s struggles to turn stalemates into victories, a trend that continued last weekend at Estadio dos Arcos when they were held 1-1 by Santa Clara, with Clayton scoring after an early penalty miss before Serginho drew the visitors level from the spot just prior to half-time.

There have been talks about the Vilacondenses being overly reliant on Clayton, who has scored 53.3% of their 15 league goals, while including the Brazilian’s assists means he has been directly involved in 73.3% of that output.

Rio Ave have also been far from solid defensively, conceding 20 – six of those in their last three outings – none of which ended in victory (D2, L1) – and with just one win from six away matches (D4, L1), Silaidopoulos has plenty of knots to untie heading into Saturday’s trip.
 

AVS Primeira Liga form:

AVS form (all competitions):

Rio Ave Primeira Liga form:

Rio Ave form (all competitions):

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Team News

AVS remain without defender Guillem Molina, sidelined since a fibula injury in August, while Aderllan Santos is set to miss a ninth consecutive match, and Pedro Lima was unavailable last weekend, making him doubtful for Saturday.

Angel Algobia may start after building minutes from the bench in his return from injury, while Rafael Barbosa, Diego Duarte and Bruno Lourenco are also pushing for inclusion after substitute appearances. 

It would not be a surprise if 42-year-old striker Nene makes way this weekend, meaning Tomane could be handed the mantle of leading the line.

For Rio Ave, none other than the influential Clayton is expected to spearhead the attack once more as he looks to add to his eight goals and two assists. 

The visitors would remain without 20-year-old midfielder Theofanis Bakoulas (knee), while Omar Richards is also set to continue his spell on the sidelines.

AVS possible starting lineup:

Goncalves; Bane, Semedo, Devenish, Kiki; Algobia, Assuncao; Spencer, Barbosa, Akinsola; Tomane

Rio Ave possible starting lineup:

Miszta; Petrasso, Panzo, Abbey; Vrousai, Ntoi, Aguilera, Athanasiou; Luiz, Clayton, Pohlmann

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We say: AVS 1-1 Rio Ave

Neither side carries strong momentum into this contest, but AVS have endured the more turbulent season and do not look like a team capable of taking maximum points from visitors who have lost just one of their six away league fixtures.

However, given the hosts have avoided defeat in their last three matches at the Aves, they should take something from the encounter, so a draw feels the likeliest outcome.
 

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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