AVS v Arouca: bottom club meet play-off strugglers in survival fight | OneFootball

AVS face Arouca in Liga Portugal on Saturday, 17 January 2026 at the Estádio Clube Desportivo das Aves, with the bottom side hosting the team in the relegation play-off place in a key survival contest.

Arouca are unbeaten in their past four meetings with AVS, winning three, including a 3-1 victory on Matchday 1. They also won on both of their last visits to this ground in league and cup.

AVS have no league wins after 17 games, with 11 goals scored and 43 conceded, and their recent league form features a 2-2 draw with Nacional between defeats by Porto and Moreirense. Arouca arrive off a loss at Tondela after draws with Santa Clara and Gil Vicente, having beaten Alverca in mid-December.

The hosts are yet to keep a clean sheet and have not scored from set pieces or with a header this season. Arouca have recorded two clean sheets and four headed goals, though they have also conceded 42. Alfonso Trezza Hernandez has six league goals and Nais Djouahra five this term.

Wide deliveries and aerial moments could favour the visitors given that headed return, while AVS may look to build through open play to find a breakthrough.

AVS sit 18th on four points in the relegation places. A win would move them to seven and could boost their survival bid. Arouca are 16th on 14 points in the relegation play-off spot. Victory would take them to 17 and may ease pressure in the fight to climb clear.