📊 Form Guide

Benfica

WDDWWL

Benfica won’t want a repeat of their last result here following a 1-0 Primeira Liga defeat in their last game at the hands of Sporting Lisbon.

In that match, Benfica had 55% possession and 14 shots at goal with 2 of them on target. On the other side, Sporting CP got 12 attempts on goal with 6 on target. Geny Catamo (29') scored for Sporting Lisbon.

Their latest results shine a light on the fact that quality has been evident in the Benfica rearguard. Benfica have been mean at the back, resulting in the tally of goals that have gone past their goalkeeper during their last 6 clashes standing at 2.

Their past results show that Benfica:

• haven't been beaten in the league by Braga in their previous 3 games.
• are unbeaten in their previous 28 home league matches. What a fantastic run.

Braga

WDLDWL ⚖

After a losing effort in their last game against Casa Pia in Primeira Liga action, Braga and their travelling supporters will be hoping that they can get a better result in this one.

In that game, Braga had 61% possession and 16 shots at goal with 6 of them on target. The scorer for Braga was Amine El Ouazzani (45'). Casa Pia had 8 attempts on goal with 4 of them on target. Telasco Segovia (40') and Nuno Moreira (70') scored for Casa Pia.

During their 6 previous matches, Carlos Carvalhal's Braga have seen their efforts on goal rewarded 9 times, yielding them a goals per game average of 1.5.

Pre-game facts show that Braga:

• haven't won against Benfica when they have played them away from home in the previous 3 league games.
• are unbeaten in their last 3 away league matches.

↔️ Head to head

A glance at their past head to head meetings going back to 07/11/2021 shows that Benfica have won 4 of these and Braga 2, with the tally of drawn results being 0.

A combined total of 21 goals were produced between them in this period, with 13 from Benfica and 8 created by Os Arcebispos. This gives an average number of goals per game equal to 3.5.

The last league match between these sides was Primeira Liga match day 31 on 27/04/2024 when it ended Benfica 3-1 Braga.

That time, Benfica managed 62% possession and 22 shots at goal with 6 on target. The goalscorers were Marcos Leonardo (71', 95') and David Neres (85').

Braga had 11 attempts on goal with 7 of them on target. Ricardo Horta (28') scored.

The match was refereed by João Pinheiro.

📰 Team News: Benfica

Renato Sanches (Muscle injury) and Tiago Gouveia (Knee injury) won’t be available for Benfica gaffer Bruno Lage.

It’s our opinion that Benfica could make use of the 4-3-3 formation this time with Anatolii Trubin, Alexander Bah, Tomas Araujo, Nicolas Otamendi, Alvaro Carreras, Fredrik Aursnes, Florentino Luis, Orkun Kokcu, Angel Di Maria, Zeki Amdouni and Kerem Akturkoglu.

📰 Team News: Braga

Owing to an otherwise healthy group, there is just a single fitness problem for the Braga boss Carlos Carvalhal to be concerned with. Paulo Oliveira (Calf injury) won’t be playing here.

From our viewpoint, Os Arcebispos could decide to make use of a 3-4-3 system, starting Matheus, Joao Ferreira, Robson Bambu, Sikou Niakate, Roger Fernandes, Rodrigo Zalazar, Joao Moutinho, Yuri Ribeiro, Ricardo Horta, Amine El Ouazzani and Bruma.

🔮 Prediction

Benfica can and should be able to create a decent number of chances and shots on target.

At the other end, Braga may well find it hard to score but we do think it’s quite likely that they will be pulling one back during this clash, too.

We’re therefore anticipating a decent 3-1 win for Benfica at the end of the match.

Our expert partners are tipping over 1.5 goals for this match. Check out their VIP predictions here.

Andre Moura, 17:01 04/01/2025