Famalicao vs Arouca

Played behind closed doors at the Centro de Treinos do Famalicão, the match followed the traditional format of two 45-minute halves. Neither side could find a breakthrough in a contest that prioritised fitness and tactical shape over risk-taking.

Famalicao created the clearer openings of the first half but lacked the final pass to unlock a disciplined Arouca defence. The visitors grew into the game after the interval, rotating their squad heavily — a move that disrupted any sustained rhythm but gave Seabra a look at nearly every available outfield player.

Despite the competitive edge, the scoreline never looked like changing. The lack of a cutting edge in the final third was evident from both benches.

There was no single decisive moment — the game's defining characteristic was its absence of goals. Arouca's decision to rotate almost the entire squad after the break, with Seabra replacing large chunks of the outfield, meant the contest became a fitness exercise rather than a pursuit of victory. Famalicao, content with their defensive solidity, never pushed beyond second gear.

Famalicao's back line — Carvalhal's side have now gone four pre-season games without conceding a single goal. The defensive unit, which was a strength last season, looks well-drilled and organised heading into the new campaign. Against the U23s (5-0), Lusitânia de Lourosa (1-0), Penafiel (0-0) and now Arouca, the clean sheet record is immaculate.

Vasco Seabra's rotation — The Arouca head coach used the fixture to test combinations across the pitch. Goalkeepers Nico Mantl and Vinarcik were absent, as were left-back Arnau Solà and midfielders Puche and Costinha (junior), suggesting Seabra is still settling on his preferred XI.

Ibrahima Ba — A notable absentee from the Famalicao squad. The 21-year-old Senegalese centre-back, who had a rapid rise last season, did not feature as his anticipated €20 million transfer to Sporting Lisbon dominates the headlines. A deal with Strasbourg collapsed earlier in the window over fitness concerns, but Sporting are now in pole position to sign him.

This was a low-event friendly where the 0-0 scoreline tells the full story. Famalicao's four pre-season matches have produced just one goal conceded — and that is a zero. Carvalhal's side have scored six goals across those four games, but three of those came against their own U23s. The first-team attack still looks like a work in progress.

Arouca, meanwhile, have scored only once in three pre-season games (a 2-1 loss to Rio Ave on 11 July, where Marozau found the net). The 0-0 draws with Feirense (18 July) and now Famalicao underline the same issue: defensive organisation is there, but goals are not flowing.

Famalicao's pre-season continues on 25 July with a double-header against FC Felgueiras and CD Tondela, before they head to Italy for the Como 1907 tournament, where they will face Crystal Palace and Lens in Group A.

Arouca's next friendly is against Santa Clara on 25 July at the Sports Valley in Vizela. Their Liga Portugal Betclic campaign begins on 8 August away to Vitória Guimarães, followed by a home fixture against Moreirense on 17 August.

A textbook pre-season friendly — low on drama, high on utility. Famalicao's defensive record is the clear takeaway: Carvalhal has built a side that is hard to beat. Arouca need to find goals before the real business starts in August, but Seabra will have learned more about his squad's depth across the 90 minutes.