St. Gallen vs Vitoria Guimaraes Prediction & Betting Tips (12 December)

Saint-Gall, 25th in the Conference League, had a difficult start with two defeats against Cercle Bruges 6-2 and Fiorentina 2-4. They then responded by beating Larne 1-2, but disappointed against TSC 2-2. In the Swiss championship, their progress is irregular, with a current 7th place. Before the international break, they ended a six-match winless run by beating Grasshoppers 1-2, before drawing with Yverdon 0-0. However, their dynamic remains fragile with two recent defeats, against Young Boys in the championship 3-1 and Bellinzona D2 in the cup 1-0. Vitoria Guimaraes shone during the first three days of the Conference League, winning victories against Celje 3 -1, Djurgarden 2-1, and Mlada Boleslav 2-1.

These performances allowed them to move to the top of the ranking, occupying 5th place after a 1-1 draw in Astana on the last day. On the national level, the Conquistadores remain outside the top 4 for the moment, notably because of a defeat against Santa Clara 1-0 before the break. However, they move closer to the top places thanks to a convincing victory against Gil Vicente 4-0. In the Portuguese Cup, their success against Leiria 2-0 qualified them for the round of 16.

Saint-Gall must deal with several notable absences. Ghanaian defender Nuhu, usually a substitute, is unavailable, as is midfielder Karlen, who has been away from the field for a long time, and young striker Milosevic (19 years old, 1 goal in the league). Added to this list is Geubbels, former Monaco and Lyon player, who is the club's top scorer in the league with 5 goals and 2 assists. On the other hand, Akolo and Gortler, authors each of 4 goals and 2 assists in the league (and 2 additional goals for Gortler in C4), will be present. Finally, midfielder Witzig, the team's master playmaker with 6 assists this season, is also available to bring his influence to the game.

Vitoria Guimaraes should field a full team for this meeting. In attack, the Brazilian Gustavo Silva, author of 2 goals in the league, is followed by Nelson Oliveira, the former Rennes player, who has 3 goals and as many assists in the Portuguese Liga. In European competition, Tiago Silva stands out as the club's top scorer with 2 goals, while also contributing in the league with 1 goal and 3 assists. The Portuguese team thus has several interesting offensive options, offering a great diversity of talents for their offensive sector.