Liga Betclic: X-ray of the Benfica-Braga match

Reaching their 10th consecutive win at the Cathedral, for the Liga Betclic, is what Benfica are aiming for in the clash against Braga, this Saturday April 27, at 6pm, at the Estádio da Luz.

Eleven points separate Benfica (73) and Braga (62) in the league table, while the "minhotos" are in a fierce battle for 3rd place in the Liga Betclic –  a fight that involves FC Porto and Vitória SC –  in a round in which the top four in the competition face each other.

Benfica, after the win (1-3) in Faro in the final matchday of the competition, returns to the Cathedral with the intact status of having the best defense in the competition as the home team, with six goals conceded, against a team that has the 2nd best attack as a visitor, with 34 goals scored. Braga have won three of their last five league matches away from home - Boavista (0-4), Portimonense (3-5) and Estoril (0-1) – as well as a draw against Rio Ave (0-0) and a defeat against Sporting (5-0).

The eagles have won these games in succession at home: Famalicão (3-0), Rio Ave (4-1), Boavista (2-0), Gil Vicente (3-0), Vizela (6-1), Portimonense (4-0), Estoril (3-1), Chaves (1-0) and Moreirense (3-0).

This will be the 159th clash between Benfica and Braga, with the eagles having won 102 games (65%) and drawn 29 (20%), with a total of 362 goals scored and 145 conceded. In the league, the clubs have met on 135 occasions, with Benfica winning 90 (67%) and drawing 28 (21%), with a total of 313 goals scored (2.32 per game) and 114 conceded (0.84 per game). 

At the start of the matchday 31, Benfica and Braga are the teams with the most shots in the competition (484 against 465), and the eagles have the most on target (42.1% against 40.2%). If Benfica are the second team with the most 1x1 and dribbling actions in the competition (1009 against 748), Braga have the most crosses (586 against 533). Looking at the number of corner-kicks taken every 90 minutes, Roger Schmidt's men are the second team with the most (6.58 against 5.27).

Also based on statistical data from the Wyscout platform, Benfica are second in the league in terms of shots from outside the box (174 against 163), while Braga are the team with the most head shots (78 against 63).

While remaining dominant in what concerns to passes (16,449 against 15,327), Benfica are the team with the most accurate passes (86.8% against 85.5%). In terms of possession, the difference between the two teams is minimal, with the eagles having the upper hand (57.9% per game against 57.8%).

Benfica, along with FC Porto, have the best defense in the league (24 goals conceded), while Braga have the 9th best record (41 goals conceded).

Individually, Rafa remains one of the players with the most assists in the league (11), with Di María (9) and Neres (8) in 3rd and 4th places. Zalazar (6) is the player with the most assists among the Minho players. If Rafa is also Benfica's top scorer in the competition (12 goals), Banza leads the Braga side (21 goals).

Di María is the player who has made the most crosses so far (141), and the 5th with the most one-on-one and dribbling actions (164). Returning to Rafa, the No. 27 is the player with the second most touches in the opposing box (149).

In matchday 40 of the Liga Betclic, coach Roger Schmidt fielded the following XI in the 1-3 win at Farense: Trubin, Bah, António Silva, Otamendi, Álvaro Carreras, Florentino, João Mário, Di María, Tiago Gouveia, Kökcü and Arthur Cabral.

In the home win over Vizela (2-1), in the last round of the competition, coach Rui Duarte lined Braga up in a 4x2x3x1 formation, with the following eleven: Matheus, Víctor Gómez, Niakaté, Paulo Oliveira, Borja, Vítor Carvalho, João Moutinho, Álvaro Djaló, Ricardo Horta, Bruma and Banza.