Estoril love to attack and with nothing to lose, expect Ian Cathro’s side to throw caution to the wind here. Benfica have a far superior squad and should be able to outscore the hosts.
| 2025/26 Primeira Liga | Estoril | Benfica |
|---|---|---|
| Current Position | 9th | 3rd |
| Wins | 10 | 22 |
| Draws | 9 | 11 |
| Losses | 14 | 0 |
| Goals Scored | 53 (1.61 pg) | 71 (2.15 pg) |
| Goals Conceded | 54 (1.64 pg) | 24 (0.73 pg) |
HTH - Eagles on Top
These clubs have met on 77 occasions, Benfica leading Estoril 58-6 alongside 13 draws.
Estoril Entertainment Machines
Estoril recently lost five straight games to drop into the bottom half of the table. Their matches in the Liga have the second highest goal average, 3.25 per game narrowly behind Sporting CP.
Ian Cathro’s side broke the trend with a 1-1 draw at Braga. Yanis Begraoui equalised late on, the Moroccan scoring his 20th goal of the campaign.
The Canaries stayed on the road where they drew 1-1 at Alverca. They limited the hosts to one shot on target but haven’t won in two months.
The manager appeared to issue a plea to the board after the match: “We managed to eliminate that constant fear of relegation. In the next phase, we either continue in this way or take a step forward.
“The only thing that interests me is taking that step, and that requires a lot. The only certainty is that when you do things the same way, you won't get different results.”
Benfica Down to Third
Benfica ended April with three straight wins in the Primeira Liga. A vital 2-1 victory at Sporting CP was them claim second spot which was consolidated with 4-1 win against Moreirense.
The Eagles were in control at Famalicao where Andreas Schjelderup and Richard Rios scored to make it 2-0 after 20 minutes. Nicolas Otamendi was sent off in the second half and they fell away and had to settle for a 2-2 draw.
Jose Mourinho’s side slipped to third on the table after another 2-2 draw against Braga. They were wasteful once again, registering 2.90-0.21 xG and needing an added time penalty from Vangelis Pavlidis to claim a point.
The manager was pleased with the way his side fought until the end: “When you concede the second goal and you deserved it so much, only a group of guys who fight until the end, like them, can find the strength to equalise.
“If we lost second place and control of our destiny, it wasn't because of a bad performance, either collectively or individually.”
Predicted Lineups & Team News
Estoril (4-2-3-1) Joel Robles; Ricard Sánchez, Felix Bacher, Ferro, Gonçalo Costa; Xeka, Jordan Holsgrove; Rafik Guitane, André Lacximicant, João Carvalho; Yanis Begraoui
Gonçalo Costa and André Lacximicant came off the bench to combine for the equaliser in Alverca and could be rewarded with a start here. Pedro Carvalho and Antef Tsoungui are suspended.
Benfica (4-2-3-1) Anatoliy Trubin; Amar Dedic, Tomás Araújo, Nicolas Otamendi, Samuel Dahl; Richard Rios, Leandro Barreiro; Fredrik Aursnes, Rafa Silva, Andreas Schjelderup; Vangelis Pavlidis
Nicolas Otamendi and Richard Rios return from suspension to reclaim their spots in the starting side. Vangelis Pavlidis could start up front with Franjo Ivanovic dropping to the bench.