Liga Betclic: FC Porto-Benfica X-ray

This Sunday, March 3, Benfica returns to the Liga Betclic with the visit to FC Porto, on matchday 24. The 179th edition of the Championship clássico kicks off at 8:30 pm.

Leaders going into the game, the Eagles head into the match at the Estádio do Dragão with a 22-game unbeaten run in the competition and nine points ahead of the third-placed team.

This season, the two teams have already met on two occasions, with Benfica coming out on top: 2-0 in the Super Cup and 1-0 in the reverse fixture (matchday 7). Since Roger Schmidt's arrival in Luz, the Reds have won three of their four matches against the Dragons.

In the history of league matches, the Glorioso have 59 wins and 49 draws in 179 games against the Portistas, with a balance of 273 goals scored and 262 conceded. As visitors, the number of wins is 15 and the number of draws is 22.

Coming off the back of thrashing Vizela  (6-1) and Portimonense (4-0) in the rounds leading up to the derby, the Reds have now scored 56 goals in the league, half of which were scored in the eight rounds played since the start of 2024. FC Porto, on the other hand, have scored 38 goals in the competition.

The figures provided by the Wyscout platform help explain the difference in goals scored between the eagles and the dragons. With 375 attempts compared to FC Porto's 352, Benfica are the team with the most shots among the 18 competing in the Liga Betclic and also the team with the best percentage of shots on target: 43.5% compared to 35.7% for their next opponents.

Roger Schmidt's side also take more one-on-one chances (779 against 748), although the Blue and Whites have a higher dribbling efficiency rate: 60.6% against 52.8%.

Defensively, the accounts are more balanced and the Estádio do Dragão pitch will host the two best defenses in the league. With only 15 goals conceded, two fewer than FC Porto (17), Benfica lead the Liga Betclic in this parameter, where they have managed to keep a clean sheet in 12 games (two with Samuel Soares and 10 with Trubin), while the Dragons have only managed nine.

In protecting their goal, the Reds have won more defensive duels (61.1% against 58.6%) and interceptions (913 against 833).

In terms of possession, FC Porto lead with 61.7% compared to 58.5% for Benfica, the team with the most passes attempted (12,707) in the Liga Betclic. The effectiveness of the red carousel is illustrated by the percentage of correct passes, which stands at 86.6% and is the best in the league.

Benfica's João Neves (1353), Otamendi (1265), Aursnes (1262) and António Silva (1156) are in the top 10 players with the most passes attempted in the league, which has no FC Porto players.

On an individual level, Rafa stands out with 12 goals and 11 assists in the Liga Betclic, and is the only player in the competition to reach double figures in both of these parameters. On the Porto side, Evanilson is the top scorer with 10 shots, six of them in the last seven games.

A talisman for the Reds in the two derbies played this season - he scored in the victories in the Super Cup and in the first round of the Championship - Di María leads the way in terms of decisive passes, with 31, in a ranking that includes two other Benfica players in the top 5: Rafa (25) and Aursnes (19).

In the 4-0 thrashing of Portimonense on matchday 23 of the Liga Betclic, coach Roger Schmidt fielded an eleven made up of Trubin, Bah, António Silva, Otamendi, Aursnes, João Neves, João Mário, Di María, Kökcü, Neres and Rafa.

FC Porto coach Sérgio Conceição, meanwhile, fielded a 4x2x3x1 team consisting of Diogo Costa, João Mário, Pepe, Otávio, Wendell, Alan Varela, Eustáquio, Francisco Conceição, Pepê, Iván Jaime and Evanilson in the 1-1 draw away to Gil Vicente.