Liga Portugal Betclic: Portimonense v Sporting Braga
Arouca v Farense
By SKIP BANDELE
Following the international break, Farense will return to action this Saturday afternoon away to seventh-placed Arouca, while Portimonense close the Easter weekend match day at home against fourth-in-the-table Sporting Braga on Monday, April 1 at 8.15pm. Tickets for that match have already gone on sale at the Municipal Stadium box office but should continue to be available until kick-off.
The west Algarveans find themselves in a precarious position approaching the last eight matches of the season, sitting in the third from bottom relegation play-off place, only two and four points clear of the two clubs currently facing the automatic drop – Vizela and Chaves.
In addition, recent history against Braga, who are now led by veteran Portimão-born midfielder João Moutinho, does not bode well with successive 6-1, 4-1 and again 4-1 defeats to book – one has to look back 34 years for Portimonense’s last 1-0 success which, coincidentally, occurred on April 1, 1990!
Farense, on the other hand, should be less anxious, still in possession of a five-point cushion vis-à-vis their Algarve neighbours, but both clubs will be harbouring slight concerns regarding the full fitness of their first choice elevens with fatigue and potential injuries worries for internationals still on duty during this week, namely Portimonense’s Hélio Varela and Berto (both Cape Verde) and Farense’s Muscat (Malta) and Belloumi (Algeria).
By SKIP BANDELE
