Benfica v Nacional: European push meets survival fight in Liga Portugal | OneFootball

Benfica host Nacional in Liga Portugal on Sunday, 12 April 2026 at the Luz, with the unbeaten hosts eyeing European leverage and the visitors looking to put more daylight between themselves and the drop.

Benfica arrive unbeaten in 28 league games this season, winning three and drawing two of their last five. Nacional ended a four-game winless spell with a 2-0 victory over Estrela Amadora last time out after defeats to Famalicão and Estoril and a draw at Moreirense.

The hosts list midfielders Nuno Felix and João Veloso as injured.

Águias have scored 59 league goals and conceded only 18, underpinned by 59% possession, 85.13% passing accuracy and 13 clean sheets. Evangelos Pavlidis is second in the division's scoring chart with 21 goals, while Nacional's Jesús Andrés Ramírez sits fifth on 14. For creativity, the visitors have Liziero and José Gomes on four assists apiece.

Encarnados' delivery from wide areas could be a route, with 382 open-play crosses at 21.47% accuracy and 12 headed goals this season, and they have converted 10 penalties out of 10. Nacional have five clean sheets and 39 conceded, so they may need to absorb pressure and look for Ramírez to make limited chances count.

A home win would take Águias to 69 points and could close the gap to the top two. Victory for Nacional would move them to 28 points and further ease relegation pressure, strengthening their position above the bottom two and the relegation play-off line.