Clássico stats: Benfica sharper in attack, Porto solid at the back | OneFootball

With the Clássico just around the corner, Portal dos Dragões analyzed the data for Benfica and FC Porto this season, using SofaScore*.

Although Benfica has a higher average of goals per game, since José Mourinho replaced Bruno Lage, FC Porto has surpassed them both in creating big chances and in their effectiveness when those chances arise. In other words, Farioli’s team generates more dangerous situations, but the Porto side also misses more finishing opportunities.

The team from Luz stands out for taking more shots (15.9 shots per game versus 14.6), having better dribbling efficiency, and exchanging more passes in the opponent’s half: on average, Benfica records 217.4 successful passes in the opposition’s half, compared to FC Porto’s 170.9. On the other hand, the Eagles rely more on long balls and crosses.

Offensively, FC Porto stands out—albeit by a small margin—in ball possession. The Dragons make more successful passes per match (429.4 versus 411.6) and move the ball more in their own half.

Defensively, the difference is clear. Porto concedes only 0.24 goals per game on average, while Benfica concedes 0.69. FC Porto has kept a clean sheet in 76 percent of matches, whereas the Eagles have conceded in more than half of their games.

Mourinho’s team averages more tackles, but records fewer interceptions, clearances, and ball recoveries per game. This greater aggressiveness from the Dragons is also reflected in the number of fouls: Farioli leads a team that commits, on average, 13.6 fouls per game, compared to Benfica’s 11.5.

One of the Eagles’ strengths is the number of duels won: an average of 59.2 percent, compared to FC Porto’s 47.9 percent.

Although by a small margin, Mourinho’s team recovers the ball in the final third more frequently than Porto.

After the goalless draw in the league, Estádio do Dragão once again hosts the FC Porto-Benfica match, this time in the quarter-finals of the Portuguese Cup. The match is scheduled for 20:45.

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