Benfica
- Jose Mourinho has brought a sense of discipline and structure to SL Benfica since taking charge in September 2025 and the Eagles now find themselves third in the Primeira Liga with 42 points from 18 games.
- Their most recent results have been a mixed bag of two wins, one draw and two defeats in their last five in all competitions, but the quality of opposition faced has been much tougher than that of mid-table Estrela Amadora on Sunday.
- Benfica beat Rio Ave 2-0 away in the Primeira Liga and had the measure of Juventus in a 0-0 away draw in the Champions League, so their defensive solidity shouldn’t be questioned.
- The hosts are unbeaten at home in the Primeira Liga, scoring 2.11 goals per match and conceding just 0.78 at Estádio da Luz, where they should be expected to defeat an inferior opponent.
Estrela Amadora
- Estrela Amadora have won two, drawn three and lost three of their eight away matches in the Primeira Liga.
- Estrela Amadora’s season has been a battle of consistency, but they have 19 points from 18 matches and a mid-table 12th position at the time of writing.
- João Nuno has done a decent job since taking over in late September 2025, prioritising the development of young players and the organisation at the back.
- Estrela Amadora’s recent form is one win, two draws and two losses in their last five matches, a run that includes a 3-2 away win over Famalicao, a 3-3 home draw with Braga and a 0-5 home loss to Estoril.
Head-to-Head
Benfica have won the last three head-to-head meetings, winning 1-0 at Estrela Amadora in the league five months ago.
Key Players
- Benfica employ a 4-2-3-1 with a strong, disciplined double pivot and use their shape and transitions well, with João Mário providing the creativity and experience to dictate tempo in midfield.
- In Vangelis Pavlidis, who leads the Primeira Liga scoring charts with 17 goals in 18 games, they have their talisman, but the emergence of Jovane Cabral as an outlet in attack has been an added bonus.
- Estrela Amadora are compact, work hard and have Kikas to provide a focal point in attack.
Betting Insights
But Estrela Amadora are a big price at 7.4 to get a result and the draw looks just as unlikely, so I will take Over 2.5 goals at 1.5 as my main selection for this clash.
Prediction
They will make it tough on Benfica, but it is likely to be a long night for the visitors, who score 1.25 goals and concede 1.88 per away game in the Primeira Liga.
