Gil Vicente v Rio Ave: European push meets mid-table climb | OneFootball

Gil Vicente host Rio Ave in Liga Portugal on Saturday, 20 December 2025 at Estádio Cidade de Barcelos, with the hosts defending fourth place and the visitors seeking momentum in mid-table.

The head-to-head picture is tight: each side account for 35% of results, with 30% ending level. Both league meetings last season finished 1-1, while a pre-season friendly in August went 3-1 to Gil Vicente.

Recent form edges towards consistency for Gil Vicente, who have drawn their last two after a narrow home defeat. Their defence has been a platform all season, with only seven goals conceded in 14 games and nine clean sheets. Rio Ave's last five read loss, draw, draw, win, loss, including an away victory at AVS.

Routes to goal could hinge on efficiency. Gil Vicente have kept opponents to 0.5 goals per game and combine 49% possession with 79.64% pass accuracy, so they may look to control the tempo and feed Pablo De Jesus, who has eight league goals. Rio Ave's shooting accuracy stands at 57%, and they have not scored from set pieces this season, so open-play service to leading scorer Clayton, on 10 league goals, and creator André Luiz, with five assists, could be key.

A home win would take Gil Vicente to 28 points and strengthen their grip on a European spot. Victory for Rio Ave would move them to 19 points and could lift them up the table towards the top half.