AVS, a new team in the Primeira Liga, and CD Nacional will play their first games of the 2024–25 season on Saturday at the Estadio do Desportivo das Aves.
The Vila das Aves squad lost to the visiting team in both of their Segunda Liga home and away games last season, so they will be hoping to win this weekend.
After a thrilling playoff victory over Portimonense, AVS enjoyed a historic 2023–24 season that saw them promoted to the Portuguese top division in their first season of existence.
AVS was promoted to the Portuguese second division following the demise of UD Vilafranquense, and they went on to earn a playoff berth with a strong third-place result in the standings.
Playing in the playoffs against a more seasoned Portimonense team, Vitor Campelos’s team made a statement by winning 4-2 on aggregate to guarantee their promotion on their first try.
One week later, on May 25, at the Estadio Municipal de Portimao, the Vila das Aves team defeated Guimaraes 2-1 in the return leg to officially relegate the Marafados. Goals from Anthony Correia and Bernardo Martins sealed the first-leg triumph.
AVS enters the new campaign fresh from an outstanding preseason campaign in which they won five of their eight friendly games and lost just one, going undefeated in the other two. Their only setback came on July 24 against Porto B.
However, Nacional’s rapid rise to second place in the Segunda Liga previous season earned them an immediate promotion to the Primera Liga.
The Alvinegros finished second in the league, two points behind Santa Clara, after winning 21 of their 34 games, losing only five, and earning eight draws. With 71 points overall.
Nacional scored 66 goals last season—14 more than any other team in the division—thanks to their strong play at the attacking end of the field. This contributed to their outstanding record.
Along with having the greatest home record in the Segunda Liga, the Funchal team concluded the previous season undefeated in 16 of their 17 games at the Estadio da Madeira, earning 41 points out of a possible 51.
Tiago Margarido’s team had a strong run of form in preseason, winning four of their eight warm-up games and drawing two, while scoring ten goals and maintaining four clean sheets. This Saturday’s opponents were similarly fortunate.
Nacional has won nine of their last four games in a row versus Feriense at the Estadio Marcolino de Castro, and they enter the season opening on a roll of 13 straight back-to-back competitive games without a loss.
