Liga Betclic: Moreirense-Benfica X-ray

Having taken the lead in the Liga Betclic after beating Sporting (2-1), Benfica faces Moreirense at the Parque Desportivo Comendador Joaquim de Almeida Freitas, on matchday 12 of the competition.

This will be the 33rd match between the two teams in all competitions, with the record showing that the Eagles have the upper hand: 23 wins and seven draws. In 17 games played as visitor, Benfica has never lost.

Looking for their sixth success in a row away from home, the Reds arrive in Moreira de Cónegos with an unbeaten run of 10 games (nine wins and one draw). For their part, the Minhotos have one of the best winning streaks in the league: three consecutive triumphs. This has allowed them to climb up to 5th place before their clash with the competition leaders.

With 11 league games under their belt, Benfica is the leader in terms of possession, with 61.2% compared to 45% for Moreirense, whose record shows a tendency to give their opponents the initiative.

The Reds also dominate the passing statistics provided by the Wyscout platform, leading in overall effectiveness percentage (86.7%), long passes (60.9%), passes into the final third (78.5%) and number of passes per minute of possession (78.5%). Revealing a considerable success rate, the Minho side is also more than 50% effective in the previous parameters.

Rafa and Neres have four assists each, the same as Alanzinho, from Moreirense.

With 23 goals to their opponents' 14, the Eagles have Di María as their top scorer in the Liga Betclic, with five goals, while André Luís is the top scorer for the Minhotos, with four.

In the overall accounts for the competition, Benfica has 184 shots, with 36.4% of them on target, while Moreirense has 123, with only 27.6% of them on target, the 2nd worst record in the league.

Roger Schmidt's side also has the most touches of the ball in the opponent's penalty area (323) out of all the teams in the league - the Cónegos have 148.

Facing each other will be the second and third best defenses in the competition. With only one more goal conceded (10) than Benfica (nine), Moreirense's solidity is based on 517 interceptions (2nd best record in the league) and 174 fouls committed, making them the team with the most fouls of the 18 participants.

The Reds, on the other hand, have committed the fewest fouls (123) and are superior to their opponents in terms of defensive duels won (62.3% compared to 59.1%).

In the Champions League clash (3-3) against Inter Milan last Wednesday, November 29, Roger Schmidt put Trubin, Aursnes, António Silva, Otamendi, Morato, Florentino, João Neves, Di María, João Mário, Rafa and Tengstedt into the starting eleven.

For their part, Moreirense fielded a 4x2x3x1 formation featuring Kewin Silva, Fabiano, Maracás, Marcelo, Pedro Amador, Lawrence Ofori, Franco, Madson Monteiro, Alanzinho, Kodisang and André Luís, in their win at Estrela da Amadora (0-1) on matchday 11 of the Liga Betclic.