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Primeira Liga | Gameweek 15
Dec 23, 2024 at 6.45pm UK
Estadio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica
E

Benfica
3 - 0
Estoril

Pavlidis (28'), Amdouni (73', 90+4')
Kokcu (67')
FT(HT: 1-0)

Boma (34')

Preview: Benfica vs. Estoril Praia - prediction, team news, lineups

:Headline: Preview: Benfica vs. Estoril Praia - prediction, team news, lineups:
Sports Mole previews Monday's Primeira Liga clash between Benfica and Estoril Praia, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Sports Mole

Separated by 10 places in the Primeira Liga table before gameweek 15, second-placed Benfica are clear favourites to outdo Estoril Praia at Estadio da Luz on Monday.

Bruno Lage's men sit atop the form table along with Porto (13 points from 15), highlighting their strong performances and results ahead of the forthcoming Lisbon derby, and could supplant table-topping Sporting Lisbon after the ongoing round.


Match preview

Although Lage needed to stabilise the club after returning in September when Roger Schmidt was dismissed, unexpected events at Sporting have opened the door for Benfica and Porto to compete for the Liga title.

Ruben Amorim's departure to Manchester United has caused a dip in results at Jose Alvalade, highlighted by four consecutive losses in all competitions (two in the league) under Joao Pereira.

While Sporting avoided a third successive league defeat by beating Boavista 3-2 in round 14, Lage's Benfica have cut the Lions' advantage to one point, positioning the Reds to leapfrog the club in first place after the 15th gameweek.

That outcome is contingent on the first-placed club dropping points on Sunday's visit to Gil Vicente, a situation O Glorioso hope for ahead of Monday's match with Estoril.

Benfiquistas have reason to be confident in their side's prospects if Sporting drop points, owing to the second-placed club's undefeated run since losing 2-0 at Famalicao and the Reds' unblemished run on home soil all season.

Those prospects are strengthened when previous results in this fixture are considered, a statistic that means Ian Cathro's men enter the forthcoming fixture as the underdogs.

Although Estoril defeated their Lisbon rivals on penalties in January's League Cup, the Canaries have never beaten their district rivals anywhere else on record since the 1990s, underlining the uphill task facing the away side.

Thirty-two matches have been played in the period from 1991, with Estorilistas losing 25 and holding the Reds to six draws.

If that historical precedent diminishes the away club's chances, Estoril's inability to win away in the Liga since November 2023 doubly limits their prospects.

While that sole triumph came at Porto (1-0), results since have highlighted the Canaries' away blues, thus underscoring their unfancied tag heading into Monday's trip to the Stadium of Light.

With Cathro's men only three points clear of Boavista (11 points) in the relegation play-off spots, Canarinhos face a nervy gameweek 15 if the third-bottom side beat AVS on Saturday.

Benfica Primeira Liga form:


Benfica form (all competitions):


Estoril Praia Primeira Liga form:


Team News

While Gianluca Prestianni has recently returned from an ankle injury, Lage could be without Renato Sanches (muscle) and Tiago Gouveia (shoulder) when Estoril visit.

Thursday's two-goal hero against Nacional, Angel Di Maria, will be assessed, even if his late withdrawal in the 2-0 success seemed precautionary.

Only Sporting's Viktor Gyokeres and Santa Clara's Vinicius Lopes have netted more match-winning goals (four) than Vangelis Pavlidis and Kerem Akturkoglu (three), and the Benfica pair could be decisive for the Reds again.

Pedro Amaral and Xeka have missed a combined 12 games because of injury, and the Estoril pair are expected to sit out round 15's Estadio da Luz trip.

Despite their underdog status, the Canaries will look to Alejandro Marques (five goals), Joao Carvalho and Wagner Pina to secure an unexpected victory, as the trio have scored a combined nine goals this term.


Benfica possible starting lineup:
Trubin; Bah, Araujo, Otamendi, Carreras; Aursnes, Luis; Di Maria, Kokcu, Akturkoglu; Pavlidis

Estoril Praia possible starting lineup:
Robles; Boma, Alvaro, Bacher; Pina, Zanocelo, Holsgrove, Garcia; Costa, Carvalho; Marques


We say: Benfica 3-1 Estoril Praia

Benfica have beaten Estoril in the previous eight corresponding Liga fixtures at Estadio da Luz, and that pattern should continue in gameweek 15.

Although the Canaries have netted in four of their previous five visits, the Reds' superior technical quality should see the hosts continue this term's unblemished run at the Stadium of Light.


For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


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Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Sporting Lisbon21163257164151
2Benfica21152449183147
3Porto21134445182743
4Braga21134438201843
5Santa ClaraSanta Clara2112272522338
6Casa Pia219662725233
7Vitoria de GuimaraesGuimaraes217953025530
8Estoril PraiaEstoril218672632-630
9FamalicaoFamalicao2151062224-225
10Rio AveRio Ave216782335-1225
11MoreirenseMoreirense2165102531-623
12AroucaArouca2165101932-1323
13Gil Vicente215792332-922
14Nacional2164111928-922
15AVS213991631-1518
16Estrela Amadora2145121834-1617
17SC FarenseFarense2136121330-1715
18BoavistaBoavista2126131436-2212
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