Sports Mole previews Sunday’s Primeira Liga clash between Benfica and Casa Pia, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Looking to put their continental hoodoo aside, Benfica resume Primeira Liga action with a round 11 clash at Estadio da Luz against fellow Lisbon outfit Casa Pia this weekend.
Jose Mourinho’s men suffered a 1-0 home defeat to Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League in midweek, and they have the perfect opportunity to respond against visitors who have lost their last two games.
Match preview
It was the same old story on the continental front as Samuel Dahl’s howler of a clearance proved costly for Benfica, who have now lost their opening four league phase matches without finding the net.
That leaves the Reds second to bottom in the Champions League table, but Mourinho and co. will now turn focus to the more promising Primeira Liga this weekend, having not lost a single game in their opening 10 fixtures of the campaign.
With seven wins and three draws, Benfica sit third in the top-flight standings, one point off city rivals Sporting Lisbon and four adrift of leaders Porto, placing the Eagles firmly in the early-season title race.
Mourinho’s men look to pick up from where they left off on the domestic front, having won each of their last four outings, alternating between cup triumphs in the Taca de Portugal and Taca da Liga, alongside emphatic league victories.
Benfica scored a combined eight goals across their last two Primeira Liga outings, starting with a 5-0 thrashing of Arouca followed by last weekend’s 3-0 triumph at Vitoria de Guimaraes.
Despite their formidable domestic form, the Eagles might need to take caution here, having dropped more points at home in the league this season than on the road, with 1-1 draws against Santa Clara and Rio Ave marring five such outings (W3).
Looking to join the league of few upsetters at Da Luz, Casa Pia will take inspiration from their 1-1 stalemate at the ground in the 2023-24 campaign, while their 3-1 home triumph in the most recent meeting leaves an even sweeter memory.
However, those remain the only two matches in which the Geese have taken anything from this fixture in six encounters, and their current state offers little optimism, having lost three of their last four Primeira Liga matches (D1).
Casa enter this encounter following a 5-3 defeat to Estrela Amadora last weekend, a result that pushed the side into the bottom three and led to the dismissal of Joao Pereira.
A baptism of fire awaits Goncalo Brandao on Sunday, with only a short window to shore up a struggling defence ahead of a Benfica side that has netted 21 goals, the third highest in the league this season.
Casa have shipped nine in their last two outings, including a 4-0 defeat at Braga on matchday nine, bringing their total conceded to 22, only fewer than bottom-placed AVS (24) and Arouca (26).
The Geese’s attack has offered little respite either, with just 11 scored, and it remains to be seen how the team will cope under their new boss on Sunday.
Benfica Primeira Liga form:
Benfica form (all competitions):
Casa Pia Primeira Liga form:
Casa Pia form (all competitions):
Team News
Despite Dahl’s costly error in midweek, Mourinho has assured that the left-back will make the lineup on Sunday, meaning Rafa Obrador might need to wait for another opportunity to start under the Portuguese boss.
Captain Nicolas Otamendi will be missed as he serves his suspension after accumulating one too many bookings, leaving Antonio Silva and Tomas Araujo likely to pair at the heart of defence.
More positive news in the backline sees Omar Dedic return to full fitness, having featured off the bench in midweek, meaning Fredrik Aursnes would be relieved of makeshift duties at right-back.
Benfica will remain without long-term absentees Bruma, Manu Silva and Alexander Bah, as they continue their recoveries from injuries.
Centre-forward Vangelis Pavlidis jointly leads the early Golden Boot race with eight league goals to his name – alongside Gil Vicente’s Pablo – and will be looking to add to that tally here.
It remains to be seen if Brandao will make wholesale changes to his side, though right winger Jeremy Livolant and striker Cassiano are almost certain to start.
Both players have five league goals between them – Livolant with three goals and Casiano on two – and would be highly relied on in the final third.
On the other hand, Clau Mendes, Duplexe Tchamba, Kevin Prieto and Max Svensson are injury concerns for the visitors.
Benfica possible starting lineup:
Trubin; Dahl, Araujo, Silva, Dedic; Barrenechea, Barreiro, Ríos; Lukebakio, Pavlidis, Aursnes
Casa Pia possible starting lineup:
Azevedo; Sousa, Fonte, Rocha; Geraldes, Nhaga, Perez, Larrazabal; Livolant, Cassiano, Nsona
We say: Benfica 3-0 Casa Pia
All factors suggest Benfica should not find it difficult to secure a comfortable win against visitors still adjusting under their new boss, and we could see another emphatic league victory in favour of the Reds.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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