Preview: Tondela vs. Pacos de Ferreira - prediction, team news, lineups

With Tondela safe from the drop and visitors Pacos de Ferreira guaranteed a fifth-place finish ahead of their meeting on Wednesday, the clubs will be playing only for pride at Estadio Joao Cardoso.

The Primeira Liga will therefore draw to a close this week with both teams having achieved their objectives.

Match preview

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In their final 90 minutes of the season, Tondela will seek to bounce back from back-to-back defeats during the last few days, to end their 2020-21 campaign with a flourish on home soil.

Following a 3-1 defeat to Belenenses last week - in which the Auriverdes went ahead in the third minute, but transpired to concede three times in the next 87 - the defensively-suspect side then went down 1-0 to lowly Farense on Saturday, due to Ryan Gauld's late penalty.

Therefore, Pako Ayestaran's men have now picked up just two points from their last five league outings, having only drawn with Famalicao and Boavista since their last success in mid-April.

Coming into the final round of fixtures, then, CDT are consigned to finish in the bottom half of the Primeira Liga table, but at least are not threatened by the drop.

Former Liverpool and Valencia assistant manager Ayestaran had been targeting a highest-ever 10th or better position in the league, which is now out of reach.

On Wednesday, then, he will have to settle for ending a five-match winless run by relying on his team's relative strength at Estadio Joao Cardoso this term: Tondela have won half their games there this season and are ranked sixth in the 'home only' standings.

Their opponents, Pacos de Ferreira, have similarly thrived on home soil, but were surprisingly beaten 2-0 by Gil Vicente at their Estadio da Mata Real headquarters last Friday.

An unbeaten streak of four matches was brought to an end by their mid-table counterparts, after conceding goals in either half, and performances have been far from their best in recent weeks.

Registering just six points from their last five fixtures has seen the gap to fourth-placed Braga grow to some 13 points heading into the final round, with the Pacenses hanging onto their lofty spot due to the failings of those below them.

Nonetheless, head coach Pepa has led his charges to qualification for the Europa League and will hope to celebrate that achievement with a repeat of the win they enjoyed the last time this two teams met, in February - putting a little gloss on their underwhelming climax to the campaign.

Team News

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Pacos coach Pepa will consider handing a recall to South African striker Luther Singh, following his substitute appearance in the defeat to Gil Vicente, with Douglas Tanque's spot most under threat.

Only long-term injury victim Mohamed Diaby is a confirmed absentee for the visitors on the final day of the season, so they will otherwise have a fully fit squad to choose from.

Tondela, meanwhile, should also come into this game with an almost full complement of players, with no fresh injury concerns for Pako Ayestaran to manage.

However, Colombian winger Jhon Murillo remains out of action with a foot injury and fellow wide man Salvador Agra was dismissed against Farense, so misses out.

Up front, Villarreal loanee Mario Gonzalez - with 15 league goals this season and six in his last six Primeira Liga starts - should return to the first XI after surprisingly being benched at the weekend.

Tondela possible starting lineup:
Trigueira; Almeida, Tavares, Suarez, Ferreira; Pedro, Grau; Augusto, Olabe, Barbosa; Gonzalez

Pacos de Ferreira possible starting lineup:
Michael; Silva, Marcelo, Baixinho, Rebocho; Carlos, Eustaquio, Costa; Singh, Ze Uilton, Amaral

We say: Tondela 0-2 Pacos de Ferreira

The major difference between these two teams this term has been their relative defensive capabilities - with Tondela's record of conceding goals only better the Liga's bottom side.

Pacos, then, can pick up their first win of this month and will build towards European football next season with a 15th league win of the campaign.