After a season marked by instability and delayed salaries, in sporting terms, Boavista is in 13th place, but only two points ahead of Portimonense, which occupies the position of access to the maintenance play-off.

Faced with the turbulent context, Jorge Simão, who is starting his second game in technical command, after the draw against Estrela da Amadora (1-1), showed solidarity with his players.

"We are alive for the fight. I can have the empathy, the sensitivity to understand how difficult the season has been for this group of players. What I keep seeing is that these guys are alive. Each of these games, until the end of the season, will be a real fight, because all the teams still have their goals to confirm and the margin is getting smaller", he noted, at the press conference previewing the match.

In contrast, Vitória de Guimarães is fifth in the standings and still has mathematical chances of reaching a historic third place, something that deserved consideration by the Boavista coach, who, however, prefers to focus on the capabilities of his team.

"It is a team that has the legitimate ambition to still fight for a place on the podium. It comes from three games in which it did not achieve victories. Obviously I am expecting a team that wants to come in strong to win the game. That's their part. Our part is to do what we have to do", he reiterated.

Recently returned to the Bessa club, which he coached between 2017 and 2019, the coach acknowledges that he has very little time to put his personal stamp on the team and assumes that it is dangerous to instill too many changes at such an advanced stage of the season.

"As much as I want to make the team play in my image, I think the most important thing is to understand the context. I joined this club to play five games, three days before the first one. I think that the danger, in my mind, is to have the will, the impetus or the impulse to want to change a lot of things. To want to make the team play in my image. It is quicksand because it can become counterproductive", he explained.

Robert Bozeník, recovering from an injury to his left shoulder, is the big loss on the Boavista side, in addition to the already expected absences of Luís Henrique and Júlio Dabó, but captain Sebastián Pérez returns, after serving a suspension last matchday.

Jorge Simão also confirmed that goalkeeper João Gonçalves will remain the first choice for the goal, despite César being fit again, after a long injury.

Boavista, 13th in the I League, with 30 points, faces Vitória de Guimarães, fifth, with 57, at the Estádio D. Afonso Henriques, starting at 8:30 pm on Saturday, with refereeing by Luís Godinho, from the Évora Football Association.