Benfica’s hectic December, no festive break from Father Christmas | OneFootball

December brings cold, but Benfica's schedule is going to heat up (a lot). The team in red is preparing to enter a dizzying competitive cycle, where Santa Claus will not bring any kind of rest to the squad. Between the Liga Portugal Betclic, the Champions League, and the Portuguese Cup, the team from Luz will have to play six finals in just 23 days.

The marathon kicks off with the rotation at full speed. The first obstacle is none other than the eternal derby - check Fredrik Aursnes' preview - against Sporting (December 5), immediately followed by a decisive European night at Luz, against Napoli (December 10). These are two home games that can define the course of the season, requiring the players to hit the ground running with determination right at the start of the month.

There is no time to breathe. After the clashes with the giants, complicated trips follow. The trip to Moreira de Cónegos (December 14) is traditionally difficult, and right after that, there's a knockout decision in the Portuguese Cup, with a visit to Farense (December 17), where any slip-up means elimination.

The year's final stretch is equally demanding. Before Christmas Eve, Benfica hosts the always dangerous Famalicão (December 22). And, to close 2025, instead of rest, there's a classic in Minho: the trip to Pedreira to face Braga on December 28 wraps up a month that promises to push the players' endurance to the limit.

Check out Benfica's complete schedule for December here:

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.