After a disappointing continental outing in midweek, Benfica return to domestic action this weekend as they host Nacional in round 25 of the Primeira Liga.
The Reds step into this fixture on the back of a 1-0 defeat to 10-man Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie.
Match preview
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A wasteful Benfica failed to make their 26 attempts count despite playing with an extra man since Pau Cubarsi's 22nd-minute dismissal, with their defensive lapses proving costly as Raphinha seized on a misplaced pass to fire in a deflected strike just after the hour, marking a second loss to the Catalan giants this season.
While the defeat means Bruno Lage's men have an uphill battle in next week's second leg in Spain to overturn the deficit, it also ended their eight-match unbeaten run across all competitions.
It has been a different tale on the domestic front for Benfica, whose last game in that streak was a 1-0 victory over Braga in Taca de Portugal, securing their passage to the semi-finals as they took one step closer to claiming all available trophies in their country this season, having won the Allianz Cup two months ago and also strengthening their position in the Primeira Liga with their recent results.
The Eagles, currently second in the top-flight standings, have won each of their last four matches in the competition, with a 3-0 triumph against Boavista being the latest of this run, which saw a six-point gap behind Sporting Lisbon reduced to three, the difference only this wide due to the league leaders having played one game more.
Aiming for their fifth straight victory in a bid to further close the deficit at the summit, Benfica must contend with an unwanted precedent, given their first loss against Barcelona was followed by another defeat in the Primeira Liga – beaten 3-1 at Casa Pia.
However, the Reds will be confident of avoiding a repeat, considering their formidable record at Estadio da Luz this season, having won 11 of their 12 top-flight encounters at the ground, with their 33 points from a possible 36 making them the best home side in the division.
Saturday's contest appears even more favourable for Benfica, given their dominant record against the visitors, whom they have beaten 15 times in their last 16 competitive meetings, including a 2-0 victory in the reverse fixture last December.
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While Nacional have had little to celebrate in this fixture, they can draw inspiration from their last visit to Da Luz, where they snatched a point by holding the hosts to a 1-1 stalemate in January 2021.
The White and Black enter this weekend's encounter in high spirits after snapping a two-match winless streak with a last-gasp 2-1 victory against Famalicao last weekend.
Having been held to a stalemate at the death on home turf against Estoril Praia, followed by defeat to Braga, Nacional enjoyed their own share of last-minute euphoria against Fama, thanks to a 94th-minute strike from Chiheb Labidi, securing the crucial three points that steered the Nacionalistas further clear of the drop.
Now 12th with 26 points, four above the relegation playoff spot, Tiago Margarido's men will make the trip to Benfica, hoping to return as happy travellers.
However, their away record leaves little room for optimism, having managed just six points from 12 matches, making them the second-worst travellers in the division.
Team News
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Lage could make some changes on Saturday ahead of next week's Champions League return leg in Spain, which could see Vangelis Pavlidis drop to the bench while Andrea Belotti leads the line for a second consecutive top-flight match.
Zeki Amdouni missed the previous game, making competition on the flank less intense, especially given veteran attacker Angel Di Maria is sidelined with a muscle problem, meaning Kerem Akturkoglu, Andreas Schjelderup, Arthur Cabral and Bruma could fight for a spot upfront.
Florentino Luis (muscle) is expected to miss a third straight game, while Tiago Gouveia nears his recovery from a shoulder injury that has kept him out for most of the campaign, with fellow long-term absentees Alexander Bah and Manu Silva ruled out with ACL issues.
Nacional remain without Lucas Oliveira, who has yet to feature this season due to a muscle injury, while Miguel Baeza is sidelined with a thigh problem.
Jose Gomes is doubtful for Saturday, having missed the last two outings, meaning Arvin Appiah could retain the left-back position for a third consecutive match.
On the positive side, defensive midfielder Matheus Dias returns from suspension, though Margarido could stick with his double pivot of Djibril Soumare and Luis Esteves from the win against Famalicao.
Benfica possible starting lineup:
Trubin; Araujo, Otamendi, Silva, Carreras; Sanchez, Aursnes, Kokcu; Bruma, Belotti Cabral
Nacional possible starting lineup:
Franca; Garcia, Rocha, Ze Vitor, Appiah; Penha, Soumare, Esteves; Boia, Isaac, Teodora
We say: Benfica 3-1 Nacional
Benfica enter this contest as overwhelming favourites, backed by their dominant record in this fixture and formidable home form this season.
Nacional, riding the momentum of their recent success, will aim to capitalise on any potential distraction with the hosts possibly having one eye on next week's Champions League return leg in Spain, but the Reds boast enough quality and squad depth to navigate this challenge and secure the win.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Adeyeye Oluwapelumi
