Liga Betclic: Boavista-Benfica X-ray

Benfica, the Defending National Champion, starts its participation in the Liga Betclic 2023/24 this Monday, August 14, at 8:45 pm, at Estádio do Bessa, against Boavista, in what will be the 132nd encounter between the two teams.

The last time the eagles started the Championship away from home was in the 2021/22 season, then against Moreirense, in a match in which Benfica won (1-2). This time, the opponent is Boavista, a team that finished the 2022/23 edition in 9th position.

Benfica and Boavista have a long history of clashes, with the teams set to meet for the 132nd time. The eagles have 77 wins (59%) and 34 draws (26%) in all competitions. In the 2022/23 season, Benfica won at Estádio do Bessa by 0-3, with goals from Morato and João Mário (2).

Benfica and Boavista meet at Estádio do Bessa with one official match played this season. Roger Schmidt's men, focused on winning the 39th National Championship, won the 9th Cândido de Oliveira Super Cup in its history, while the "axadrezados" were eliminated from the League Cup by UD Leiria in the penalty shootout (4-5), after a scoreless draw in regulation time.

Earlier in the pre-season, Boavista beat Leixões (3-1), Al-Hazem (4-3), Boavista U-19 (3-0) and Penafiel (3-1), drew with Estoril (0-0) and were defeated against Braga (0-2), Arouca (0-3) and Paços de Ferreira (2-3).

Looking precisely at the only official match played by Boavista in the 2023/24 season, against UD Leiria, coach Petit, in charge of the "axadrezados" since November 2021, presented the following eleven, lined up in 4x3x3: João Gonçalves, Pedro Malheiro, Chidozie Awaziem, Abascal, Filipe Ferreira, Sebastián Pérez, Makouta, Reisinho, Salvador Agra, Bruno Lourenço and Bozenik.

As for the market movements, the "Boavisteiros" secured the continuity of Onyemaechi, Masaki Watai and Bozenik, athletes who were on loan until the end of the 2022/23 season, incorporating players who were on loan to other emblems, cases of Tiago Morais, Jeriel De Santis or Chidozie Awaziem. A reflection of the restriction imposed by FIFA on the registration of new players.

Compared to 2022/23, Ricardo Mangas (Vitória SC), Yusupha Njé (Al-Markhiya), Gorré (Umm Salal), Peñaranda (FK Sarajevo), Reggie Cannon (termination of contract) and Bracalli (end of career) left the club.