A strange pattern has emerged for Nacional this season. They seem to find their best football away from the familiar comforts of home. In fact, their two biggest victories in the Primeira Liga so far have both come on the road.
The latest triumph was a hard-fought win against Braga, adding to an earlier success over Casa Pia in Rio Maior. They even managed to snatch a draw against Rio Ave away from their own stadium. This makes for a curious contradiction when you look at their performances back at the Estádio da Madeira.
Their home ground, affectionately known as Choupana, has been a difficult place to play for Nacional this season, but not in a good way for the home side. It feels almost “cursed,” having witnessed three disappointing defeats. Gil Vicente, Sporting, and Arouca have all left the island with three points. The fans are eager for this negative streak to end.
This Saturday, the black and whites will have another chance to turn things around. They will face Moreirense at the Estádio da Madeira. This match, part of the 8th round of the Liga Portugal Betclic, kicks off at 3:30 PM. Everyone hopes this will be the game where they finally break the home jinx.
After their victory in the Minho region, the team enjoyed a well-deserved day off yesterday. They are scheduled to return to training on Tuesday at 10:30 AM, ready to prepare for the upcoming challenge. Good news for the squad: coach Tiago Margarido and midfielder Matheus Dias are both available again. They have completed their one-game suspensions, meaning the coach will be back on the bench guiding his team.
However, the medical team has some work to do. Central defender Ulisses left the Braga game with an injury concern. He will need a re-evaluation to determine the extent of the problem. Fans are also waiting for updates on goalkeeper Lucas França, as the medical department may provide more details about his own injury soon.