Santa Clara — AVS : Match Preview and Prediction for October 25,2025

Santa Clara’s Recent Performance

Santa Clara delivered an impressive performance last season, securing a solid sixth-place finish which earned them a spot in the Europa League qualifiers. Their defensive solidity was a key factor, as they conceded less than one goal per game on average. Heading into the current season, the team managed to maintain the core of its squad, with Ricardinho being the only significant departure.

Squad Reinforcements and European Journey

The club bolstered its ranks with the acquisitions of Wendell and Elias, along with numerous players from Alverca in Brazil. This strengthened squad successfully navigated two qualifying rounds of the Conference League, only to be narrowly defeated by Shamrock in the final stage. However, the team has struggled to find consistent form in domestic competitions, suffering four losses in their last eight matches, including back-to-back defeats in their two most recent outings. After the international break, they played an away cup match against Espinho, where they were forced into extra time and ultimately advanced after a penalty shootout, showcasing resilience but also revealing underlying struggles with consistency.

AVS’s Struggle to Stay Afloat

In the previous season, AVS was forced into relegation playoffs to maintain their league status, successfully overcoming Vizela across two legs. However, the team’s financial and squad resources remained limited, preventing significant reinforcements. New arrivals included Tomané, Semedo, Paulo Vitor, and Perea, yet these additions proved insufficient to reverse their fortunes.

Current Season Woes and Defensive Concerns

Currently, the Vila das Aves-based side finds itself at the bottom of the Portuguese championship table. They have managed to avoid defeat in only a single match this season, scoring a paltry five goals while enduring an average of 2.5 goals conceded per game. The most alarming concern is their porous defense, which has shipped three goals in each of their last four consecutive matches. Even a team like Alverca comfortably beat them away from home. While they did secure a dominant victory against a much weaker opponent in a cup fixture, this isolated success offers little comfort given their dire league form.