| Clubname: | Rio Ave |
| Upright: | 0.75 |
| Fullname: | Rio Ave Futebol Clube |
| Nickname: | Vilacondenses Rioavistas |
| Ground: | Estádio dos Arcos |
| Capacity: | 5,250 |
| Chairman: | Alexandrina Cruz[1] |
| Owner: | Evangelos Marinakis |
| Chrtitle: | President |
| Manager: | Luís Freire |
| Mgrtitle: | Head coach |
| League: | Primeira Liga |
| Season: | 2023–24 |
| Position: | Primeira Liga, 11th of 18 |
| Current: | 2023–24 Rio Ave F.C. season |
| Website: | rioavefc.pt |
| Pattern La1: | _rioave2425h |
| Pattern B1: | _rioave2425h |
| Pattern Ra1: | _rioave2425h |
| Leftarm1: | FFFFFF |
| Body1: | FFFFFF |
| Rightarm1: | FFFFFF |
| Shorts1: | FFFFFF |
| Socks1: | 00924F |
| Pattern La3: | _rioave2425t |
| Pattern B3: | _rioave2425t |
| Pattern Ra3: | _rioave2425t |
| Leftarm3: | 00924F |
| Body3: | 00924F |
| Rightarm3: | 00924F |
| Shorts3: | 00924F |
| Socks3: | 00924F |
Rio Ave Futebol Clube, commonly known as Rio Ave (pronounced as /pt/), is a Portuguese professional football club based in Vila do Conde, that competes in the Primeira Liga. The club is named after the Ave River, which flows through the town and into the Atlantic Ocean.
Founded in 1939, they play their home matches at Estádio do Rio Ave, also known as the Estádio dos Arcos. Built in 1985, the current stadium seats approximately 12,815 people.
The club's home colours are green and white striped shirts. Meanwhile, the shorts and socks have historically alternated between green or white.[2] Portuguese internationals Alfredo, Paulinho Santos, Quim, Rui Jorge and Fábio Coentrão started their careers at the club. Goalkeepers Jan Oblak and Ederson are some famous talents that were part of this side.
The Vilacondenses' best top-tier league finish was fifth in the 1981–82, 2017–18 and 2019–20 seasons.[3] They reached the 1984 Taça de Portugal Final, where they lost to Porto 4–1,[4] and the 2014 Taça de Portugal Final, where they lost to Benfica 1–0.[5] With this result, Rio Ave qualified for the 2014–15 UEFA Europa League, their first participation in a major European competition.
Rio Ave was founded in 1939, soon being nicknamed Rio Grande (Big River). The side had two of its best moments in the 1980s, under the management of Félix Mourinho, father of José Mourinho: in 1981–82, the club finished in a joint-best fifth place, and two years later it reached the Taça de Portugal final, losing to Porto 4–1.[6]
In 2013–14, the club reached both cup finals under the management of Nuno Espírito Santo, but lost to treble-winners Benfica in both. This qualified them to their first European campaign, the 2014–15 UEFA Europa League.[7] New manager Pedro Martins led them past Swedish duo IFK Göteborg and IF Elfsborg to reach the group stage, where they came last.
Under Miguel Cardoso, Rio Ave came fifth in 2017–18, equalling their best finish.[8] Two years later, with Carlos Carvalhal in charge and Iranian Mehdi Taremi the league's joint top scorer, the club equalled this position with a new points record of 55.[9] In October 2020, the team reached the Europa League playoffs but lost at home to A.C. Milan, having conceded a penalty equaliser in the last minute of extra time and then losing 9–8 on penalties.[10] The season, under the returning Cardoso, ended with relegation after a 5–0 aggregate defeat to F.C. Arouca in the playoffs.[11]
After relegation, Rio Ave signed 35-year-old manager Luís Freire, who won promotion as champions in 2021–22 and was rewarded with a new contract.[12]
In 2023, Rio Ave's affiliated paying members (sócios) approved the creation of a SAD and the entry of an investor, the Greek Evangelos Marinakis, who had already invested in Olympiacos and Nottingham Forest.[13] [14]
| Season | Competition | Round | Club | Home | Away | Aggregate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | UEFA Europa League | 3Q |  IFK Göteborg | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 |
| PO | IF Elfsborg | 1–0 | 1–2 | 2–2 (a) | ||
| Group J |  Dynamo Kyiv | 0–3 | 0–2 | 4th place | ||
 Steaua București | 2–2 | 1–2 | ||||
| Aalborg BK | 2–0 | 0–1 | ||||
| 2016–17 | UEFA Europa League | 3Q |  Slavia Prague | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 (a) |
| 2018–19 | UEFA Europa League | 2Q |  Jagiellonia Białystok | 4–4 | 0–1 | 4–5 |
| 2020–21 | UEFA Europa League | 2Q |  Borac Banja Luka | 2–0 | ||
| 3Q |  Beşiktaş | 1–1 (4–2 p) | ||||
| PO |  Milan | 2–2 (8–9 p) |
|}
Abel Braga (1986) Mário Juliato (1987–88) Abel Braga (1995)| Season | Div. | Pos. | Pl. | W | D | L | GS | GA | P | Cup | League Cup | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978–79 | 2DS | align=right | 2 | 30 | 20 | 5 | 5 | 51 | 26 | 45 | Round 4 | Promoted | |
| 1979–80 | 1D | align=right | 16 | 30 | 5 | 3 | 22 | 22 | 61 | 13 | Round 4 | Relegated | |
| 1980–81 | 2DS | align=right | 1 | 30 | 16 | 10 | 4 | 43 | 17 | 42 | Round 3 | Promoted | |
| 1981–82 | 1D | align=right | 5 | 30 | 13 | 8 | 9 | 26 | 31 | 34 | Round 5 | ||
| 1982–83 | 1D | align=right | 8 | 30 | 13 | 3 | 14 | 43 | 45 | 29 | Round 3 | ||
| 1983–84 | 1D | align=right | 9 | 30 | 11 | 7 | 12 | 35 | 35 | 29 | Runner-up | ||
| 1984–85 | 1D | align=right | 13 | 30 | 7 | 9 | 14 | 27 | 43 | 23 | Quarter-final | Relegated | |
| 1985–86 | 2DN | align=right | 1 | 30 | 19 | 11 | 0 | 52 | 19 | 49 | Round 4 | Promoted | |
| 1986–87 | 1D | align=right | 13 | 30 | 8 | 9 | 13 | 33 | 40 | 25 | Round 5 | ||
| 1987–88 | 1D | align=right | 18 | 38 | 7 | 14 | 17 | 29 | 67 | 28 | Round 6 | Relegated | |
| 1988–89 | 2DS | align=right | 4 | 34 | 16 | 9 | 9 | 51 | 30 | 41 | Round 3 | ||
| 1989–90 | 2DS | align=right | 10 | 34 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 44 | 47 | 31 | Round 3 | ||
| 1990–91 | 2DS | align=right | 4 | 38 | 23 | 10 | 5 | 79 | 21 | 56 | Round 6 | Promoted | |
| 1991–92 | 2H | align=right | 4 | 34 | 16 | 7 | 11 | 47 | 30 | 39 | Round 5 | ||
| 1992–93 | 2H | align=right | 5 | 34 | 14 | 10 | 10 | 39 | 36 | 38 | Round 5 | ||
| 1993–94 | 2H | align=right | 4 | 34 | 18 | 8 | 8 | 43 | 23 | 44 | Quarter-final | ||
| 1994–95 | 2H | align=right | 11 | 34 | 12 | 8 | 14 | 47 | 46 | 32 | Round 6 | ||
| 1995–96 | 2H | align=right | 1 | 34 | 21 | 5 | 8 | 58 | 42 | 68 | Round 5 | Promoted | |
| 1996–97 | 1D | align=right | 15 | 34 | 8 | 11 | 15 | 35 | 42 | 35 | Round 4 | ||
| 1997–98 | 1D | align=right | 9 | 34 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 43 | 43 | 46 | Round 5 | ||
| 1998–99 | 1D | align=right | 14 | 34 | 8 | 11 | 15 | 26 | 47 | 35 | Round 4 | ||
| 1999–00 | 1D | align=right | 17 | 34 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 34 | 54 | 33 | Semi-final | Relegated | |
| 2000–01 | 2H | align=right | 5 | 34 | 17 | 9 | 8 | 68 | 35 | 60 | Round 6 | ||
| 2001–02 | 2H | align=right | 8 | 34 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 45 | 36 | 46 | Round 3 | ||
| 2002–03 | 2H | align=right | 1 | 34 | 19 | 6 | 9 | 49 | 36 | 63 | Round 5 | Promoted | |
| 2003–04 | 1D | align=right | 7 | 34 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 42 | 37 | 48 | Quarter-final | ||
| 2004–05 | 1D | align=right | 8 | 34 | 10 | 17 | 7 | 35 | 35 | 47 | Round 6 | ||
| 2005–06 | 1D | align=right | 16 | 34 | 8 | 10 | 16 | 34 | 53 | 34 | Round 5 | Relegated | |
| 2006–07 | 2H | align=right | 3 | 30 | 15 | 8 | 7 | 44 | 37 | 53 | Round 4 | ||
| 2007–08 | 2H | align=right | 2 | 30 | 13 | 12 | 5 | 38 | 26 | 51 | Round 6 | Round 1 | Promoted |
| 2008–09 | 1D | align=right | 12 | 30 | 8 | 6 | 16 | 20 | 35 | 30 | Round 3 | Second Group Stage | |
| 2009–10 | 1D | align=right | 12 | 30 | 6 | 13 | 11 | 22 | 33 | 31 | Semi-final | Second Group Stage | |
| 2010–11 | 1D | align=right | 8 | 30 | 10 | 8 | 12 | 35 | 33 | 38 | Quarter-final | Round 1 | |
| 2011–12 | 1D | align=right | 14 | 30 | 7 | 7 | 16 | 33 | 42 | 28 | Round 4 | Second Group Stage | |
| 2012–13 | 1D | align=right | 6 | 30 | 12 | 6 | 12 | 35 | 42 | 42 | Round 4 | Semi-final | |
| 2013–14 | 1D | align=right | 11 | 30 | 8 | 8 | 14 | 21 | 35 | 32 | Runner-up | Runner-up | |
| 2014–15 | 1D | align=right | 10 | 34 | 10 | 13 | 11 | 38 | 42 | 43 | Semi-final | Second Group Stage | |
| 2015–16 | 1D | align=right | 6 | 34 | 14 | 8 | 12 | 44 | 44 | 50 | Semi-final | Second Group Stage | Qualified Europa League |
| 2016–17 | 1D | align=right | 7 | 34 | 14 | 7 | 13 | 41 | 39 | 49 | Round 3 | Group Stage | |
| 2017–18 | 1D | align=right | 5 | 34 | 15 | 6 | 13 | 40 | 42 | 51 | Quarter-final | Group Stage | |
| 2018–19 | 1D | align=right | 7 | 34 | 12 | 9 | 13 | 50 | 52 | 45 | Round 5 | Group Stage | |
| 2019–20 | 1D | align=right | 5 | 34 | 15 | 10 | 9 | 48 | 36 | 55 | Quarter-final | Group Stage | |
| 2020–21 | 1D | align=right | 16 | 34 | 7 | 13 | 13 | 25 | 40 | 34 | Round 5 | DNP | Relegated |