Preview: Santa Clara vs. SC Farense - prediction, team news, lineups

Santa Clara host SC Farense on Wednesday in the final gameweek of the Primeira Liga, and both teams have something to fight for at different ends of the table.

The home side currently sit seventh but they are level on points with Vitoria de Guimaraes, who are placed in the final Europa League qualification spot as it stands, and the away side need a victory to avoid relegation.

Match preview

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Santa Clara have been on the rise in recent seasons having finished ninth last season, which improved on their 10th-placed finish in the 2018-19 campaign, and they are now on course to record their best-ever league finish again this season.

A brace from striker Carlos against Belenenses last time out secured a 2-0 victory for Daniel Ramos's team, which gave his side their first consecutive wins in the league since the opening two games of the season.

Prior to their last two wins, Santa Clara went on a five-game winless run which dented their chances of a Europa League qualification spot, but they have managed to still be in with a chance of sixth spot on the final day of the campaign.

Carlos has 13 goals in his 31 league matches this season, which puts him in the top five scorers in Portugal for the 2020-21 campaign, and he has surpassed his 10 goals that he scored in his debut season for the club last year.

Farense are two points from safety in the Primeira Liga and they will need to claim three points on Wednesday and hope that Boavista lose to Gil Vicente to avoid relegation.

Last time out, Jorge Costa's side secured a tight 1-0 win over Tondela, the goal that day coming from Scotland-born forward Ryan Gauld, who moved onto nine goals for the season.

This campaign is Farense's first back in the top flight of Portuguese football since 2002 but the club has struggled to find the form which kept them in the Primeira Liga for 12 consecutive years before they were last relegated.

Should Boavista win their final game of the season on Wednesday, Farense could avoid automatic relegation with a draw against Santa Clara if Rio Ave lose against Nacional, with this scenario meaning that Farense would go into a relegation playoff clash with the side that finish third in the Segunda Liga.

Santa Clara last faced Farense on February 4 when Gauld's opening goal five minutes before half time was cancelled out by a penalty converted by Carlos in the second half, with that game eventually ending in a 1-1 draw.

Team News

Santa Clara left-back Mansur will be available for the final game of the season after he served his suspension against Belenenses last time out for a build-up of yellow cards.

Midfielder Julio Romao has also been an absentee for Ramos's side since picking up a cruciate ligament injury in January, with Anderson Carvalho and Hidemasa Morita the usual partnership in the middle of the pitch for Santa Clara.

As previously mentioned, Brazilian Carlos will be aiming for his best scoring season in his senior career and looking to add to the brace that he netted last time out.

Farense will continue to be without winger Bilel Aouacheria, who received a straight red card in his side's 5-1 defeat against Porto. Madi Queta gained a starting place in the 11 in Aouacheria's absence last time out.

Gauld is the key player for Farense in front of goal, scoring nine goals and contributing seven assists for the club this season, and he is sure to start on Wednesday, having started every league game this campaign.

Santa Clara possible starting lineup:
Rocha; Mansur, Cardoso, Afonso, Ramos; Lincoln, Carvalho, Morita, Allano; Cryzan, Carlos

SC Farense possible starting lineup:
Beto; Abner, Mancha, Cesar, Tavares; Queta, Idrissi, Lucca, Lica; Gauld, Pedro

We say: Santa Clara 2-1 SC Farense

With both teams fighting for something on the final day of the season, the game on Wednesday is set to be an exciting one as both teams are in need of three points.

Santa Clara should have more quality than their counterparts considering their much higher league position and the attraction of a Europa League qualification spot could bring out a top performance from the home side.

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