Aiming to replicate their excellent 2021-22 season, as they set out on a new Primeira Liga campaign, Gil Vicente welcome Pacos de Ferreira to Estadio Cidade de Barcelos on Monday.
After equalling their best ever finish of fifth in the Portuguese top flight, and qualifying for Europe, the hosts kick off on home soil against a side that struggled to score last term.
Match preview
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Having won last season's battle for 'best of the rest' in the Primeira Liga - placed behind the established top four - Gil Vicente have a lot to live up to in the coming months.
The Galos returned to the top flight in 2019, and after posting successive mid-table finishes, they picked up 51 points from 34 games last term to secure a Europa Conference League qualification spot ahead of Vitoria de Guimaraes.
In midweek, Ivo Vieira's men got their qualification campaign for Europe's third-tier competition under way at the Skonto Stadium, against Riga FC in the first leg of their third round tie.
Trailing by a goal entering the final half-hour, Gil Vicente managed to find an invaluable equaliser through Uruguayan forward Juan Manuel Boselli, and they are well-placed to progress after next Thursday's return leg.
Their trip to Latvia followed a promising pre-season campaign, during which they beat both Vizela and Penafiel, either side of a 1-1 draw with Tondela. Such a run will leave Vieira and his squad in confident mood ahead of their domestic bow on Monday.
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During a difficult 2021-22 campaign, Pacos de Ferreira could take only one point from their two league meetings with Gil Vicente, and all season long they posted just nine victories as they ended up stranded in mid-table.
Only nine points clear of the relegation zone when the action concluded in May, the Pacenses also scored goals at a rate of fewer than one per game, which undermined any hopes of challenging for the European places.
Coach Cesar Peixoto, who replaced predecessor Jorge Simao midway through last season, has aspirations for a more positive approach, but has been limited by a lack of movement in the transfer market this summer.
In fact, several players have swept through the exit at Estadio da Mata Real, including Brazilian forward Denilson, with well-travelled defender Tiago Ilori - arriving on loan from Sporting - one of few reinforcements so far.
Pacos have managed to retain Nico Gaitan, though, and scored seven goals in their pre-season programme, which ended with a 2-1 defeat to Vizela last Saturday. However, they would surely have preferred a more straightforward start to competitive action than a tough trip to Barcelos.
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Team News
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While Ivo Vieira will still be without injured pair Stanislav Kritsyuk (knee), and Brazilian forward Murilo de Souza (Achilles), on Monday, the Gil Vicente coach can turn to several new signings as he shapes his starting XI.
The hosts recently completed the signings of Kevin Villodres and Lucas Barros, with versatile midfielder Carraca also arriving on loan from Porto.
Meanwhile, Fran Navarro and Juan Manuel Boselli are set to feature up front; Kanya Fujimoto starts in midfield after converting his loan deal from Tokyo Verdy into a permanent contract.
Pacos will be without last season's first-choice goalkeeper Andre Ferreira, who joined La Liga side Granada, but Jordi has recovered from a long-term injury in time to start as the visitors' last line of defence.
Defender Maracas has left for the UAE, and midfield pair Nuno Santos and Helder Ferreira are also no longer at the club. Though Denilson has departed too, newly-signed Dutch winger Nigel Thomas could join Nico Gaitan and Ze Uilton in the final third.
Tiago Ilori should start in central defence, after two injury-plagued seasons that have yielded just 12 appearances at parent club Sporting.
Gil Vicente possible starting lineup:
Andrew; Carraca, Cunha, Fernandes, Barros; Carvalho, Tiba; Boselli, Fujimoto, Villodres; Navarro
Pacos de Ferreira possible starting lineup:
Jordi; Delgado, Lima, Ilori, Fonseca; Carlos, Pires; L. Silva, Gaitan, Thomas; Ze Uilton
We say: Gil Vicente 2-0 Pacos de Ferreira
With home advantage and one competitive game already under their belts, Gil Vicente should have too much momentum behind them for Pacos de Ferreira to withstand - the hosts' margin of victory could even be more than one goal.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
