Arouca vs Casa Pia Preview & Prediction | 2023-24 Portuguese Primeira Liga
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THE FACTS
When is Arouca vs Casa Pia on and what time does it start? Arouca vs Casa Pia will take place on Sunday 17th September, 2023 – 15:30 (UK)
Where can I get tickets for Arouca vs Casa Pia? Visit each club’s official website for the latest ticket information
What channel is Arouca vs Casa Pia on in the UK? Some Portuguese Primeira Liga matches are televised on either TNT Sports or Viaplay Sports in the UK so it is worth checking their schedules
Where can I Arouca vs Casa Pia in the UK? If televised on either TNT Sports or Viaplay Sports, the match can be streamed on their respective streaming platforms
THE LOWDOWN
AROUCA
Last season, Arouca finished in the top five in the Portuguese Primeira Liga table and they managed to qualify for the UEFA Europa Conference League spots. They did lose their manager, Armando Evangelista, to Brazilian Serie A side Goias over the summer and went out in the early rounds of their European competition over two legs to Brann.
They have remained an impressive side domestically, though, and have been very entertaining to watch in all four matches so far this season. Their last six matches across all competitions have consisted of both teams scoring. They began with a 4-3 win over Estoril in which they trailed on three separate occasions before three successive score draws against Vizela, Portimonense and Porto.
CASA PIA
For the first time ever, Casa Pia gained promotion to the Portuguese top-flight in 2022 and they managed to finish comfortably in the middle-of-the-table. For much of the 2022/23 campaign they found themselves in the fight for a top five finish and potential UEFA Europa Conference League qualification before eventually fading towards the end of the campaign.
Still coached by Filipe Martins and with the crucial Ricardo Batista in goal, ‘The Geese’ begin this weekend’s round of fixtures sitting firmly in the middle-of-the-table after another relatively impressive start to this season. Their most recent outing was a 1-1 draw at home to Rio Ave, meaning they have collected five points from their opening four matches.
THE TEAM NEWS
AROUCA
Arouca have more or less a fully fit and available squad for this weekend’s clash but they will be without Benji Michel still as the American remains injured.
PREDICTED XI (5-4-1): de Arrubarrena; Milovanov, Fernandes, Galovic, Montero, Esgaio; Jason, Simao, Sylla, Gonzalez; Mujica
UNAVAILABLE: Michel (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
CASA PIA
Casa Pia are without Leo Natel due to injury for this weekend and also have a couple of doubts, too, with Kiki Silva and Leonardo Brito possibly also missing.
PREDICTED XI (3-4-3): Batista; Varela, Fernandes, Zolotic; Larrazabal, Neto, Roberto, Lelo; Soma, Clayton, Godwin
UNAVAILABLE: Leo Natel (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: Silva (Injured), Brito (Injured)
THE PREDICTION
These two sides both overperformed their pre-season expectations last season as they finished in impressive positions last season, Arouca earning UEFA Europa Conference League qualification and Casa Pia managing a mid-table finish and also flirting with a run towards the top six for much of the campaign. That said, though, they are generally defensive and relatively low-scoring teams so under 2.5 goals seems quite likely for this one.
TIP: UNDER 2.5 GOALS
