Liga Betclic: Benfica-Arouca X-ray

This Sunday, May 12, Benfica will bid farewell to the Estádio da Luz for the 2023/24 season when they host Arouca on matchday 33 of the Liga Betclic.

In the “see you soon” match at their fortress, the eagles will face the 7th-placed team in the league, who are on a run of six consecutive games without losing: three wins and as many draws. For their part, the Glorioso are looking to return to winning ways in the comfort of their home, where they have won 14 and drawn two of their 16 matches in the current edition of the competition.

In the history of league matches that began in 2013/14, a season marked by Arouca's debut in the Portuguese top-flight, Benfica have been largely dominant, with 11 wins and one draw in 13 matches. Counting only the six games played at the Estádio da Luz, the Reds have won five and drawn one.

This season, the teams have already met on two occasions and the Eagles have passed both tests beyond Serra da Freita with flying colors: 0-3 wins on matchday 16 and 0-2 in the group stage of the League Cup.

In the Liga Betclic statistical data provided by the Wyscout platform, Benfica and Arouca have shown the ambition and proactivity with which they have approached their respective matches in the competition. Leaders in the number of passes and shots made (526 and 17,505, respectively), Roger Schmidt's team will face a bold opponent, whose numbers in these parameters (436 and 14,479) are close to the records of the teams at the top of the table.

In addition to these totals, there are high percentages of effectiveness in both parameters. Once again, the Reds are in 1st place in terms of passing efficiency (86.8%) and shots on target (42.2%), with Arouca “responding” with 83.6% and 35.6%.

Defensively, the Eagles came into the game in Luz having conceded 27 goals against the Arouquenses' 42, and these figures are reflected in their superiority in defensive duels won (59.9% against 57.8%), aerial duels won (46.2% against 45.2%) and shots conceded (319 against 335).

Between goals and assists, Mujica (20+3) - a player who Arouca, through his coach, has revealed is involved in a transfer process - and Cristo (14+9) are the names that have stood out over the course of the season, both playing a total of 23 roles in the 53 goals scored by the Arouquenses in the Championship. Similar figures to Rafa, who continues to lead Benfica in goals (12) and assists (11).

On the Eagles' side, Argentinian international Di María stands out as the player with the most decisive passes (37) and deep-lying passes (71).

In Famalicão (2-0 loss), on matchday 32 of the Liga Betclic, Roger Schmidt opted for a line-up made up of Trubin, Aursnes, António Silva, Otamendi, Álvaro Carreras, João Neves, João Mário, Di María, Neres, Kökcü and Marcos Leonardo.

Daniel Sousa fielded a 4x2x3x1 with João Valido, Bogdan Milovanov, Matías, Montero, Quaresma, Oriol Busquets, David Simão, Jason, Cristo, Morlaye Sylla and Marozau in the 0-0 home draw against Estrela da Amadora.