Rio Ave v Benfica: title push meets mid-table momentum | OneFootball

Rio Ave host Benfica in Liga Portugal at Estádio do Rio Ave Futebol Clube on Saturday, 17 January 2026, with the visitors unbeaten in the league and the hosts looking to build on a home win in Vila do Conde.

Benfica sit third on 39 points, while Rio Ave are 10th with 20. The visitors have dominated the head to head, though the last league meeting in September finished 1-1 on matchday one.

Águias remain unbeaten in 17 league games, with league wins over Famalicão and Estoril following a draw at Braga. They did, however, lose recent domestic cup ties to Braga and Porto. Rio Ave's league form is mixed, but they beat Casa Pia 3-1 here earlier this month.

Encarnados are without Dodi Lukebakio through injury until 23 February, so Evangelos Pavlidis leads the line. He is the division's top scorer with 17. For the hosts, Clayton has 10 league goals and André Luiz has seven plus five assists.

With 57% possession, 85.48% passing accuracy and eight clean sheets this season, Águias may look to control the game and keep supplying Pavlidis. They have delivered 209 open play crosses at 22.49% accuracy. Rio Ave have conceded 29 and kept just two clean sheets, but Clayton and André Luiz give them a clear route on transitions and via crosses.

A win would move Encarnados to 42 points and could keep the title race within reach. Three points for Rio Ave would take them to 23 and may lift them closer to the top half.