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

Benfica returns home after another successful European night, to face Boavista in front of its fans. This Monday, February 20, at 9:15 pm, a duel full of history will take place again on matchday 21 of the Liga Bwin.

Santa Clara (0-3), Paços de Ferreira (0-2), Arouca (0-3) and Casa Pia (3-0) were beaten by Benfica in the last four matches for the National Championship, which had the Portuguese Cup and Champions League matches in between, facing now a Boavista team that, in the last four games, beat Portimonense (4-2), drew with Santa Clara and Casa Pia, the latter in the last round, and lost against Estoril, in a game from matchday 14 of the competition.

Away from home, the 9th place in the Liga Bwin, with 26 points, recorded only two wins (Arouca and Portimonense) in nine games, the last of which was on September 11. Benfica, meanwhile, the competition leader with 53 points, in 10 games played at home, won nine and drew one.

Benfica and Boavista will face each other for the 131st time, even though in National Championship matches, this is the 120th clash. Overall, the eagles have a balance of 76 wins (58%) against 20 for the "axadrezados" (15%), and the two teams have drawn on 34 occasions (26%).

At the start of round 21, Benfica presents itself as the best attack of the Liga Bwin with 51 goals and shares the status of the best defense due to the 12 goals conceded. In this particular parameter, Boavista, despite the good position it occupies in the league table, is the 3rd worst defense of the competition, with 31 goals conceded, surpassed only by Paços de Ferreira (36) and Marítimo (37), teams that occupy the two relegation spots of relegation.

The goal scoring prowess of the team is reflected in the top scorers of the competition, in which João Mário and Gonçalo Ramos, with 12 goals, are ahead of Gilista Fran Navarro.

According to Wyscout, Benfica is the second team with more shots in the competition (323 against 196 from Boavista) and more crosses (448 against 320). In terms of ball possession, the eagles lead (64.3% against 47.6%).

And if Benfica was the team that allowed the fewest shots on goal, Boavista occupies the 4th position, just behind Sporting and FC Porto (127 against 205). The reds allowed an average of 5.84 shots per 90 minutes, while the "axadrezados" allowed 9.32 shots.

In the last official game, at home against Casa Pia (0-0), coached Petit fielded Boavista in 4x2x3x1, with the following starting XI: Rafael Bracali, Pedro Malheiro, Reggie Cannon, Abascal, Bruno Onyemaechi, Sebastián Pérez, Makouta, Salvador Agra, Bruno Lourenço, Ricardo Mangas and Yusupha.