SL Benfica vs SC Braga: Preview, Odds, Form Guide and Players to Watch (January 4) | OneFootball

SC Braga will travel to the Estádio da Luz this weekend to take on SL Benfica in what promises to be an exciting Primeira Liga fixture between two of Portugal’s biggest clubs. Saturday’s encounter sees third-place Benfica host fifth-place Braga, with plenty to play for as we hit the halfway point of the season.

Sunday’s gut-wrenching 1-0 loss at the hands of Sporting CP in the Lisbon derby saw Benfica drop below their inter-city rivals and FC Porto in the standings. Meanwhile, Braga will be aiming to get back to winning ways after losing their first league match in nearly 50 days on Sunday, suffering a slender 2-1 home defeat to Casa Pia AC.

Preview

With an exciting round of Jornada 16 games behind us, the top of the table is starting to take shape with a handful of clubs jostling for Champions League and Europa League positions.

Benfica relinquished their position at the top of the table last week after falling 1-0 to Sporting at the Estádio José Alvalade. That agonizing defeat, combined with Porto’s 4-0 demolition of Boavista, means As Aguilas currently sit third in the standings, three points behind Sporting and two behind Porto.

Manager Bruno Lage has done an outstanding job of reviving a Benfica side that looked sluggish and inconsistent over the first month of the campaign. The Portuguese manager, who is now in his second spell with the Lisbon club, replaced German manager Roger Schmidt in August, and has lost just one of his first 12 league matches. He has kept Benfica competitive in the Champions League, securing 10 points from their first six games, a run which included a memorable 4-0 victory over a Diego Simeone-led Atlético Madrid side.

Overall, Benfica have accumulated 38 points over their first 16 league matches. Lage’s team have lost just twice, and have not dropped a single point in eight games at the Estádio da Luz.

Benfica are averaging 2.31 goals per game and the club has seen 15 different players get their names on the scoresheet in the liga. Ángel Di María and Kerem Aktürkoğlu lead the way with six goals each, followed by Zeki Amdouni, who has recorded five goals in 12 matches.

Perhaps more impressive than Benfica's attack has been their stingy defence. Veteran center back Nicolás Otamendi has lead by example. 22-year-old Academy product Tomás Araújo has firmly established himself in the starting 11. Full backs Álvaro Carreras and Alexander Bah continue to perform at a high level and have been two of the most consistent players in the squad. Benfica have conceded just nine goals this season, which is tied with FC Porto for the fewest in the Primeira Liga. At home, Bruno Lage's side have conceded just three times over eight matches.

It has been a demanding and strenuous start to the campaign for SC Braga. The club have had to endure a gruelling 31 games in four different competitions (Primeira Liga, Europa League, Taça de Portugal and Taça da Liga) dating back to July 25. The fixture list does not get any easier with Os Braguistas taking on Benfica twice in the coming week, followed by a tricky run of games in January that includes Lusitano Évora, Estrela Amadora, Union Saint-Gilloise, Boavista FC and Lazio.

Manager Carlos Carvalhal returned to the club after Daniel Sousa was sacked on 11 August, only a month after taking charge. Carvalhal has done well to maneuver through a difficult fixture list, and despite struggling in Europa, his team has been difficult to beat in the league.

Braga currently sits fifth in the standings after amassing 28 points from 16 league matches. They have scored 28 goals and conceded 18. Away from home, Braga have been sensational, winning five games and securing 16 points over seven matches. The club have conceded just three times, the fewest by any team away from home.

Goals have been coming from all sides of the pitch for Braga but Bruma (12), Amine El Ouazzani (8), Ricardo Horta (7) and Rodrigo Zalazar (6) have been the key contributors, combining for 33 of the club’s 54 goals.

Benfica 1.36, Braga 7.10, Draw 4.90

Over 2.5 total goals: 1.50, Under 2.5 goals: 2.10

*All odds provided from Betano.pt. Odds are subject to change prior to kick off.

Form Guide (All Competitions)

Benfica:

Head-to-head Record

Benfica have historically dominated this rivalry, winning 103 of the 158 matches between these two clubs in all competitions, with Braga winning just 24 times. In the league, the two sides have faced off on 135 occasions, with Benfica winning 91 (67.4%), Braga winning 16 (11.9%) and 28 draws (20.7%).

Over the last five matches, Benfica have held the advantage in the tie, winning four consecutive matches and drawing once in the 2022-23 Taça de Portugal, where Braga would go on to progress 5-4 on penalties.

Braga’s last win against Benfican was on December 20, 2022 at the Estádio Municipal de Braga, with goals from Abel Ruiz and Ricardo Horta leading the home side to a comprehensive 3-0 victory.

The last game between Benfica and Braga took place on April 27, 2024 with the Eagles fighting back with three goals in the second half to secure a 3-1 win at the Estádio da Luz.

Players to Watch

World Cup winner Ángel Di María remains the headline name on the team sheet for Benfica. The crafty winger has been sensational, recording 11 goals and six assists over his first 23 matches.

Swiss international Zeki Amdouni will be another player to keep a close eye on. The 24-year-old attacking midfielder who spent last season in the Premier League with Burnley has made an instant impact since joining Benfica on loan. Amdouni already has seven goals in all competitions, and is averaging a goal every 67 minutes in the league.

30-year-old Portuguese international Bruma has stood out for Braga this season. The speedy winger, who has played at some of Europe’s top clubs, including Galatasaray, RB Leipzig, Real Sociedad, PSV, Olympiacos and Fenerbahçe, seems to be thriving under Carlos Carvalhal in Northern Portugal. Bruma has scored 12 goals and assisted seven over the 2024-25 campaign, and has been a central figure in Braga attack.