Gil Vicente will be looking to replicate their impressive 2021-22 season when they welcome Pacos de Ferreira to Estadio Cidade de Barcelos on Monday, as they set ou on a new Primera Liga campaign.
After equalling their best ever finish of fifth in the Portuguese top flight, and qualifying for European football, the hosts begin their campaign against a side that struggled to score last season.
Following their success in last season’s battle for ‘best of the rest’ in the Primera Liga, placed behind the established top four, Gil Vicente have a lot to live up to in the coming months.
Ivo Vieira’s side returned to the top flight in 2019, and after recording successive mid-table finishes, they picked up 51 points from 34 matches last season to secure a Europa Conference League qualification spot ahead of Vitoria de Guimaraes.
In midweek, the Galos kicked off their qualification campaign for Europe’s third-tier competition at the Skonto Stadium, in the first leg of their third round tie against Riga FC.
Trailling by a goal heading into the final half-hour, Gil Vicente managed to find an invaluable equaliser through Juan Manuel Boseli, and they are well-placed to progress after bext Thursday’s return leg.
Pacos de Ferreira could only one point from their two league meetings with Gil Vicente during the 2021-22 campaign, and they recorded just nine victories all season long, ending up stranded in mid-table.
Sitting nine points clear of the relegation zone when the action concluded in May, Ferreira also scored goals at a rate of fewer than one per game, which undermined any hopes of challenging for the European places.
Having replaced Jorge Simao midway through last season, Cesar Peixoto will be hoping for a more positive approach, but has been limited by a lack of movement in the transfer market this summer.
Gil Vicente vs Pacos de Ferreira head to head
The two teams have previously met on 31 occasions across all competitions, where they have both claimed 11 victories while they have drawn in nine. Gil Vicente have scored 37 goals and conceded 33 in the process. In their last five meetings, they have both won twice while drawing once.
Gil Vicente 1-2 Pacos Ferreira 02/02/21
Pacos Ferreira 0-2 Gil Vicente 14/05/21
Pacos Ferreira (P)1-1 Gil Vicente 30/07/21
Pacos Ferreira 0-1 Gil Vicente 10/12/21
Gil Vicente 1-1 Pacos Ferreira 23/04/22
Gil Vicente latest home form
Gil Vicente have recently been on a relatively good run of form at home, having lost just one of their five most recent matches. They managed to defeat Panafiel 2-0 in their last home game in a friendly. In their last five matches, they have scored eight goals and conceded four.
Gil Vicente 1-1 Maritimo 20/03/22
Gil Vicente 1-2 Moreirense 08/04/22
Gil Vicente 1-1 Pacos Ferreira 23/04/22
Gil Vicente 3-0 Tondela 08/05/22
Gil Vicente 2-0 Panafiel 13/07/22
Gil Vicente latest away form
Gil Vicente have recently failed to keep a good run of form on the road, having won just one of their six most recent matches. They drew 1-1 with Riga in their last away game in the Europa Conference League. In their last five matches, they have scored seven goals and conceded 14.
Famalicao 2-2 Gil Vicente 15/04/22
Sporting Lisbon 4-1 Gil Vicente 01/05/22
Vitoria Guimaraes 5-0 Gil Vicente 15/05/22
Vizela 2-3 Gil Vicente 27/07/22
Riga 1-1 Gil Vicente 03/08/22
Pacos de Ferreira latest home form
Pacos Ferreira have recently failed to keep a good run of form at home, having won just two of their five most recent matches. They lost 2-1 to Vizela in their last home game in a friendly. In their last five matches, they have scored five goals and also conceded five.
Pacos Ferreira 2-0 Maritimo 09/04/22
Pacos Ferreira 1-1 Tondela 02/05/22
Pacos Ferreira 0-2 Benfica 13/05/22
Pacos Ferreira 1-0 Santa Clara 20/07/22
Pacos Ferreira 1-2 Vizela 30/07/22
Pacos de Ferreira latest away form
Pacos Ferreira have recently failed to keep a good run of form on the road, having been winless in their six most recent matches. They drew 0-0 with Rio Ave in their last away game in a friendly. In their last five matches, they have scored just one goal and conceded seven.
Vitoria Guimaraes 4-0 Pacos Ferreira 15/04/22
Gil Vicente 1-1 Pacos Ferreira 23/04/22
Santa Clara 2-0 Pacos Ferreira 08/05/22
Moreirense 0-0 Pacos Ferreira 13/07/22
Rio Ave 0-0 Pacos Ferreira 16/07/22
Gil Vicente news
Ivo Vieira is still without injured pair Murilo de Souza and Stanislav Kritsyuk, but he can turn to several new signings as he shapes his starting XI.
Gil Vicente recently completed the signings of Lucas Barros and Kevin Villodres, while Kanya Fujimoto converted his loan deal from Tokyo Verdy into a permanent contract.
Pacos de Ferreira news
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 between the sticks.
Helder Ferreira and Nuno Santos departed the club, but newly-signed Nigel Thomas could join Nico Gaitan and Ze Uilon in the final third.
Prediction and Odds
Having already played one competitive game and with home advantage, Gil Vicente will fancy their chances of coming away with a positive result.
The hosts should have too much momentum behind them for Pacos de Ferreira to withstand, leading us to back the Galos to come out on top on Monday.
Odds: 1 2.10 X 2.00 2 2.32
Probable outcomes
Gil Vicente 1-0 Pacos Ferreira
Gil Vicente 2-0 Pacos Ferreira
Gil Vicente 2-1 Pacos Ferreira
Gil Vicente 3-2 Pacos Ferreira
Gil Vicente 1-1 Pacos Ferreira
