Liga Betclic: Benfica-Estoril X-ray

NEXT MATCH

With the prospect of another sold-out crowd, Benfica returns to Estádio da Luz to host Estoril, on matchday 15 of the Liga Betclic. The match – the last of 2024 in the Cathedral – kicks off at 6:45 pm on Monday, December 23.

With their league accounts up to date after completing their match in hand against Nacional (0-2) on Matchday 8 in Madeira, Bruno Lage's side head into this game on 35 points and will face an opponent in 12th place with 14 points.

It should be noted that Estoril are yet to record a win (three draws and three defeats) in away matches in this edition of the Liga Betclic, while the Eagles have won all seven of their matches at the Cathedral.

In the history of matches between the two teams in the competition, Benfica have 43 wins in 58 games, with a balance of 150 goals scored and 46 conceded. Looking only at games played as hosts, the Glorioso have 21 wins in 29 games, with 85 goals scored and 25 conceded.

In terms of collective performance in the current edition of the league (2024/25), the Eagles are superior to their next opponents in several parameters, such as ball possession (60.1% against 45.8%), average number of correct passes per game (454.1 against 311.2), accurate crosses per game (6.2 against 3.8) and dribbles per match (10.4 against 6.1).

With only eight goals conceded in 14 games, and seven games without conceding, Benfica have the best defense in the league, while Estoril have allowed 21 goals. The parameter of tackles per game also helps to explain this difference, as the Reds, with 19.3, have the best record among the 18 teams in the league. In contrast, Ian Cathro's side have the worst record (13.5).

In terms of attack, the Reds go into matchday 15 with 34 goals scored against Estoril's 12. In the six matches played at the Estádio da Luz, the Eagles have scored an average of 3.28 goals per game, while the "Canarinhos" have scored four goals in the six matches played away from home.

The superiority in terms of efficiency is replicated in the number of shots per game for each team: Benfica have 16.5 (6.6 on target) compared to 9.1 (2.8 framed) for their next opponents, the team with the fewest shots in this edition of the league.

With six goals, Di María and Aktürkoğlu are Benfica's top scorers in the competition, while Alejandro Marqués, with five strikes, has similar status at Estoril.