Liga Betclic: Benfica-Estoril X-ray

This Sunday, March 10, Benfica returns to Estádio da Luz to face Estoril, on matchday 25 of the Liga Betclic. Getting back to winning ways is the mission of the Eagles, who are still unbeaten in home league games.

In the 12 matches played at the Cathedral in this competition in 2023/24, Roger Schmidt's side have won 10 and drawn two.  Estoril arrives in Luz on the back of three defeats and a draw in their last four games, a record that has pushed them down to 15th place with 22 points, compared to Benfica's 58.

This will be the 58th league match between Benfica and Estoril, with 42 wins and 11 draws for the eagles, who have scored 147 goals and conceded 45. In its games as host, the Glorioso has 20 wins and 5 draws, with a balance of 82 goals scored and 24 conceded.

The two teams have already met twice this season. In the reverse fixture (matchday 8), Benfica won 0-1 at the Estádio António Coimbra da Mota, and in the semi-finals of the League Cup, in Leiria, there was a draw (1-1), in a match where Benfica lost in the penalty shootout.

Using the figures provided by the Wyscout platform, the Reds head into this Sunday's match, March 10, with an advantage over their opponents in most of the parameters analyzed. With 57.6% possession, Benfica outnumber Estoril's 50.9%, which is one of the few Liga Betclic teams that tend to keep the ball and dominate matches.

In terms of passing, Estoril's numbers are also above the league average, but they're no match for the Glorioso, who lead the 18 teams competing in the competition in terms of attempted passes (13,030 against 9,694) and passing effectiveness (86.5% against 82.8%).

The second-best attack in the competition, with 56 goals scored compared to Estoril's 40, Benfica also beat their opponents in the total number of shots (379 against 291) and in the percentage of shots on target (43.3% against 38.1%).

With 12 goals, Rafa is Benfica's top scorer in the league and also leads the way in assists, with 11. On the visitors' side, Marqués is the top scorer in the competition, with 9 goals, while Rodrigo Gomes has 6 assists.

The gap between the two teams that will clash on the green carpet of the Estádio da Luz widens in defensive terms, with Estoril struggling to keep their goal inviolate: 46 goals conceded in 24 matches, more than twice as many as the Eagles (20).

The difference is illustrated by Benfica's advantage over their next opponents in defensive duels won (60.9% against 58.4%), aerial duels won (44.2% against 41.4%) and shots conceded (245 against 311), with the two teams curiously recording the same number of interceptions: 946.

For the clássico against FC Porto, on matchday 24, Roger Schmidt fielded a line-up made up of Trubin, Aursnes, António Silva, Otamendi, Morato, João Neves, João Mário, Di María, Kökcü, Rafa and Tengstedt. Sent off for yellow card accumulation in that match, captain Otamendi will serve a one-match suspension and is a confirmed absentee for the clash with Estoril.

Coach Vasco Seabra set up his team in a 3x4x3 consisting of Daniel Figueira, Vital, Basso, Winther, Rodrigo Gomes, Mateus Fernandes, Zanocelo, Heri, Rafik Guitane, João Marques and Marqués in the 1-3 home defeat against Vitória SC.