Liga Bwin: X-ray of the Benfica-FC Porto clash

Estádio da Luz hosts the clássico between Benfica and FC Porto this Friday, April 7, at 6 pm, in a game from matchday 27 of the Liga Bwin. 

With 68 points and in the back of 10 consecutive wins in the Liga Bwin, the team coached by Roger Schmidt leads the championship with a ten-point led over the second place and next opponent. With the best attack (67 goals scored) and the best defense (14 goals conceded), the reds will face the team in the championship that is closest to these numbers: the Blues and Whites come to the Clássico with 56 goals scored and 17 conceded.

In the 177 clashes for the championship, the reds have amassed 58 wins, 49 draws and 70 losses. In the clashes played at Estádio da Luz, the record stands at 43 wins, 27 draws and 18 losses, with Benfica not winning a Clássico as host since the 2018/2019 season.

This season, at home, Benfica has not made life easy for its opponents and has 12 wins and only 1 draw, in 13 games. FC Porto, on the other hand, has had a more erratic performance away from home, with 8 wins, 4 draws and 1 loss in away matches in the Liga Bwin.

The statistical data also help illustrate the dominance of the eagles in the championship. According to the Wyscout stats platform, Benfica has better numbers than the next opponent in possession (62.8%), crosses success rate (38.6%), touches inside the box (692) and shots (414).

Defensively, the leader allows fewer shots (168) than the blue and white (228) and has the best success rate of defensive duels won in the Liga Bwin: 64% against against 55,7%. The accounts of the defensive sector are, however, more balanced, as Benfica presents a lower record than FC Porto in intercepted shots (42 against 52) and in the success rate of aerial duels (50.4% against 51.9%).

Author of 17 goals and five assists, João Mário is the player with the highest participation in goals in the championship and shares with his teammate Gonçalo Ramos the leadership of the top scorers’ list. At Porto, Taremi, with 13 goals and five assists, is the player who stands out. Grimaldo is the player with the most assists (8) in the championship.

On an individual level, Otamendi is the one who makes the most passes in the league (1698), and the first FC Porto player in this ranking - Uribe - is behind Florentino, Grimaldo, and António Silva.

In the triumph in Vila do Conde (0-1), Roger Schmidt fielded a starting eleven with Odysseas, Bah, António Silva, Otamendi, Grimaldo, Aursnes, Chiquinho, João Mário, David Neres, Rafa and Gonçalo Ramos.

Sérgio Conceição launched Cláudio Ramos, Manafá, Fábio Cardoso, Marcano, Wendell, Uribe, Otávio, Pepê, Galeno, Taremi and Toni Martínez in the home victory (1-0) over Portimonense.