João Palhinha effect is brutal: Benfica barely allow shots | OneFootball

Benfica’s 4-0 thrashing of Moreirense once again confirmed the excellent form of Marco Silva’s side. But there is another name worth highlighting: João Palhinha. The Portuguese international is living up to expectations and establishing himself as one of Benfica’s main weapons in defensive balance, with the numbers showing a clear improvement since he claimed a starting spot.

Before the arrival of the number 36, the Eagles had conceded eight goals in virtually every match, except for the heavy wins against St. Gallen and Casa Pia. The biggest signs of fragility came precisely against the Swiss side and Académico de Viseu.

Away at St. Gallen, Benfica allowed six shots on target from a total of 17 and recorded 21 opposition actions inside their own box. The match ended in a 2-1 win, but it made their defensive vulnerability clear. Against Académico, despite allowing only eight shots, four were on target and the Viseu side reached 2.2 expected goals, eventually scoring twice.

The situation changed with Palhinha in the starting eleven. On his debut against Estoril, the midfielder already showed promising signs, despite the goal conceded in the final minutes. Then, in Madeira, he stood out with six clearances, 14 duels won out of 20, and 11 ball recoveries. In Moreira de Cónegos, he once again dominated midfield alongside Leandro Barreiro.

The collective numbers are even more telling. In the last two matches, Benfica allowed only two shots on target, one in each game. Against Marítimo, the Madeira side had only nine actions inside Benfica’s box and finished with an incredible 0.1 expected goals. Moreirense, meanwhile, managed just eight actions in the Eagles’ box, with only 0.5 expected goals and 28% possession.

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