Benfica
- Sunday’s game in Portugal will feature two teams who have had quite contrasting campaigns so far, with SL Benfica sitting third in the Primeira Liga table with 66 points from 28 matches, while visitors Nacional Madeira Funchal are in the midst of a scrap at the bottom of the table, 15th with 25 from their 28 games.
- Benfica have won three and drawn two of their last five games.
Nacional Madeira Funchal
- Nacional Madeira Funchal are winless in their last two away, drawing one and losing the other.
- Nacional have won one, drawn one and lost three in their previous five.
Head-to-Head
The Eagles have won all three recent Primeira Liga head-to-heads with Nacional, most recently prevailing 2-1 away from home four months ago.
Key Players
- Nacional can be dangerous on the break and the best player in the squad, Paulinho Boia, is in good goal-scoring form, scoring two of the team's last four goals in the past five matches.
- But Benfica have the talisman up top in Vangelis Pavlidis, who is a constant threat and has 21 goals in 28 Primeira Liga appearances this term.
- Jesus Ramirez leads Nacional’s attack with 14 goals in 27 appearances in the Portuguese top flight and is their biggest danger man.
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Top scorers:
- Vangelis Pavlidis - 21 in 28
- Jesus Ramirez - 14 in 27
- Paulinho Boia - 2 of the last 4 goals
Betting Insights
- Benfica are favorites at 1.14 for Sunday’s home game and rightly so, but that doesn’t stop us looking elsewhere for a wager.
- Both teams to score at 1.91 is an option that looks more likely.
- Benfica are structured and will look to dominate the centre of the pitch with their possession and control, while Nacional prefer to sit deep in a more compact 4-3-3 and hit on the counter.
- Tiago Margarido has instilled a pragmatic, compact approach which sees them sit deep and be disciplined, then adapt and try to take their chances against stronger sides.
Prediction
- The Eagles have scored 33 goals in 14 home league matches and Nacional have managed just 12 in 14 on their away trips so we can expect goals at both ends on Sunday.
- Benfica are the better team, have the better player and are playing at home.
- Back them to make a game of it.
