Liga Bwin: X-ray of the Arouca-Benfica match

Leader of the Liga Bwin with 47 points and holder of the best attack of the competition (45 goals), Benfica plays on Tuesday, January 31, at 9:15 pm, away at Arouca, on matchday 18.

With 15 wins, two draws, and one loss (in 18 games, one from matchday 20), Roger Schmidt's team travels to the north of the country with the ambition of winning again and consolidating the leadership in the league table.

On the other side, despite the defeat in the semi-finals of the League Cup, Arouca will be motivated by the results achieved this season. Added to the qualification for the final four of the Allianz Cup is the 6th place that Arouca currently occupy in the Liga Bwin League.

The team coached by Armando Evangelista has three consecutive matches without losing in the Championship, and in the last 11 encounters in the competition they have only lost twice. In all, Arouca has 26 points, as a result of seven wins, five draws and five defeats, with 22 goals scored and 25 conceded.

This will be the 15th match between the two teams, with the balance clearly in favor of the Reds. In 14 matches, Benfica won 12, drew one, and lost one.

If we look in more detail, based on statistical data from the Wyscout platform, we realize that the people of Arouca are a team of contrasts. Armando Evangelista's team has the fifth-best attack (along with Vizela), but it also has the fourth-worst defense in the competition, unlike Benfica, which currently also leads the League in goals scored (45) and has the second-best defense in the competition (12 goals conceded).

The reds are the best in possession, with an average of 64% per match, and are also the team with more passes (368 per 90 minutes) and crosses (380) in the League. In the opposite direction, and maybe a bit paradoxical (considering the goals scored), Arouca is the team, in the competition, with fewer interventions in the opponent's box (187), fewer crosses (176) and fewer corners (3.55 per game).

In the defensive aspect, Arouca shows why it is in the place it occupies, being the 7th team that allows fewer shots on goal (11.1 per 90 minutes), a statistical parameter of the game led by Benfica, which only allows 5.49.

In Arouca, Benfica will play its third consecutive game away from home. In Paços de Ferreira, Roger Schmidt started the match with Odysseas, Bah, António Silva, Otamendi, Grimaldo, Florentino, Enzo, Aursnes, João Mário, Guedes and Gonçalo Ramos (top scorer of the Liga Bwin League, with 12 goals).

On the other hand, the "arouquenses", who in the last round thrashed Portimonense 4-0 at home, played on January 24 for the League Cup, against Sporting, losing 1-2. A match where Armando Evangelista fielded the following starting XI: Thiago Rodrigues, Opoku, João Basso, Weverson Costa, Tiago Esgaio, Morlaye Sylla, David Simão, Alan Ruiz, Oriol Busquets, Antony and Oday Dabbagh (the team's top scorer with six goals in the competition).

The two teams face each other this Tuesday, at 9:15 pm, at the Estádio Municipal de Arouca, in a match that will be officiated by the referee from AF Porto Rui Costa.