Benfica don travel go face Estoril Praia for Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota on Saturday for final round of 2025-26 Primeira Liga season, and dem know say victory essential to keep Champions League qualification hopes alive.
Back-to-back draws don see the Eagles slip to third for Portuguese top-flight table, leaving dem two points behind second-placed Sporting Lisbon. Meanwhile, ninth-placed Canaries dey cling onto top-half finish only on head-to-head and goal difference over sides directly below dem.
A dramatic Derby de Lisboa victory on matchday 30 don briefly reignite Benfica hopes of top-two finish, as Eagles overtake Sporting into second place before backing am up with emphatic win over Moreirense. But Jose Mourinho side now back for third after consecutive 2-2 draws against Famalicao and Braga, the latter coming at Estadio da Luz on Monday, where Vangelis Pavlidis stoppage-time penalty rescue a point.
That result na another setback for Benfica bid for fourth consecutive top-two finish, taking dia joint league-high draws to 11, though e also stretch Eagles unbeaten Primeira Liga run to 48 matches, dating back to last season. The Reds don score two or more goals for 12 of dia last 13 league matches, underlining dia attacking strength, although defensively dem dey less convincing, keeping just two clean sheets across dia last 10 outings.
This fit be defining match for Mourinho, with speculation surrounding potential return to Real Madrid dey continue to grow, and failure to secure top-two finish go leave im second spell at club looking underwhelming, especially given exits from Champions League, Taca de Portugal and Taca da Liga.
Still, Benfica remain for strong position away from home, having win 11 of dia 16 league matches on road this season, with only Porto and Sporting recording more away victories. Estoril, on dia part, don already safe from relegation, sitting 10 points above playoff spot, while European qualification out of reach, with Ian Cathro side 14 points off top five, so dia focus now turn to securing second successive top-half finish after ending last season for eighth place.
However, Canaries dey without win for seven matches, the longest ongoing winless run for division, having follow dia draw at Braga with another 1-1 stalemate at Alverca last weekend, when Andre Lacximicant score equaliser just two minutes after coming on as half-time substitute.
Estoril don now concede first for each of dia last five matches and don ship 54 league goals overall, the most among teams for top half, while dia attack don slow significantly, netting just seven times across dia last 10 games. Home form also concern for Canaries, who don suffer defeat for each of dia last three matches at Coimbra da Mota and dey winless for four outings at ground, a record wey no bode well, especially considering Cascais club don also lose dia last eight league meetings with Benfica.
Benfica get near fully fit squad and dey boosted by return of captain Nicolas Otamendi and midfielder Richard Rios, both back from suspension. Pavlidis fit return to lead attack after scoring stoppage-time penalty last time out, taking im league tally to 22 goals, five behind Sporting Luis Suarez for race for Bola de Prata.
For Estoril, Yanis Begraoui, who don score 20 league goals this season, go again lead line and go look to get back to scoring ways, having draw blank last time out. Defenders Antef Tsoungui and Pedro Carvalho dey suspended, although Kevin Boma returns from injury and go strengthen back line. Meanwhile, midfielder Jandro Orellana remains doubt after missing recent squads, while Joel Robles dey expected to continue for goal.
Benfica get more riding on this encounter, as failure to secure maximum points go further dent dia slim hopes of finishing second, and dem go also be boosted by return of Otamendi and Rios. Meanwhile, Estoril go dey miss two players for defence, further depleting side wey don dey struggle for recent times, so victory for visitors fit likely here.
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