CS Maritimo Funchal

vs

Leixoes

Preview

CS Maritimo Funchal

• CS Maritimo Funchal head into their matchup with mid-table Leixoes on Friday night as the top-performing team in the division.
• With 63 points from 31 games played, Vasco Matos’ men are the strongest side in the Liga Segunda 2025-2026 and deserve their place at the top of the table.
• Recent record: W3, D1, L1 in their last 5 games.
• The four-man defense is protected by a double pivot, the full-backs provide width when in possession and the team has to be patient to move the ball through the thirds at their own pace.
• Simo Bouzaidi has stepped up his game of late, scoring two of his team’s last 4 goals in 5 games.
• The danger man remains Carlos Daniel, who has 10 goals in 31 appearances in the Liga Segunda this campaign.

Leixoes

• Leixoes are having an excellent season under the guidance of Joao Nuno Fonseca.
• The club are 6th in Segunda Liga, having picked up 44 points from 31 matches, a mid-table position.
• Fonseca has instilled a pragmatic style on his team that keeps the defense compact and organised, relying on their ability to counterattack and wing play to break through and get their goals.
• Leixoes are unbeaten in their last 5 matches, winning the last 3.
• Jose Bica is Leixoes' goalscorer, with 9 goals in 24 Segunda Liga appearances this campaign.
• They have been equally strong on the road all season, winning 6, drawing 4 and losing 5 of their 15 Segunda Liga games.

Head-to-Head

• Maritimo won 4-1 away at Leixoes in the reverse league fixture 4 months ago.
• Maritimo have won 1 and drawn 1 of their last 2 head-to-heads with Leixoes.

Key Players

• Carlos Daniel - 10 goals in 31 appearances for Maritimo.
• Simo Bouzaidi - has scored two of Maritimo’s last 4 goals in 5 games.
• Jose Bica - 9 goals in 24 appearances for Leixoes.

Betting Insights

• We’re taking the short odds on offer of 1.91.
• Maritimo are the superior side and have won 8, drawn 4 and lost 3 of their 15 home games in Segunda Liga this season.

Prediction

• Although Leixoes are in good form, we feel Maritimo are the better side in this one.
• We feel they will have what it takes to claim the win at Estádio dos Barreiros.