History
Rio Ave football club was founded in 1939 by group of five people. The team was named after the river which crosses the city. Non-official name of the club is Rio Grande (BigRiver). Its traditional colours are white and green.
Rio Ave played their first match on May 6 1939 in Beiriz and lost against the local team. The club made the debut in Primeira Liga only forty years after its foundation and tumbled out after the first season.
In 1982 the team finished fifth in domestic league, which is the most outstanding achievement of the club till now.
In the national cup Rio Ave reached the final twice – in 1984 and 2014.
Way to the group stage
Debut in euro cups qualification was significant for Rio Ave due to away victory against IFK Göteborg.
In the play-off round Rio Grande opposed IF Elfsborg. Portuguese side lost the first leg 2:1, but grabbed the winner in a stoppage time at home arena (1:0) and thus reached the Europa League group stage.
Game director and current state of affairs
Last season Rio Ave finished only 11th in the domestic league (W-8, D-8, L-14).
Nuno Espirito Santo was in charge of the team at that moment, but after he took charge of Valencia CF Pedro Martins became Portuguese side new head coach.
Martins worked for CS Maritimo from 2010 till 2014.
Start of career in Rio Ave has turned out to be a success for him. The team has qualified for the Europa League group stage, besides Rio Grande are first in Primeira Liga standings at the moment.
Personalities
34-year-old Cassio keeps Rio Ave goal this season.
Centre backs are Marcelo and newcomer Prince-Desir Gouano. Lionn and Tiago Pinto usually feature as wing backs.
One of the key midfielders is Renan Bressan, who opposed FC Dynamo Kyiv in Europa League with FC BATE Borisov. Team captain Tarantini is the first team regular. Young Filipe Augusto and Pedro Moreira often feature alongside him.
Attacking players of the team are Ahmed Hassan, Yonathan del Valle and Andre Monteiro, also known as Ukra. Striker Emmanuel Boateng also often takes the field.
Home arena
Pedro Martins’ men play their home fixtures at Estadio do Rio Ave FC, built in 1984. Today it’s able to hold 12,815 people.
Copyright © 2014 FC Dynamo Kyiv
