Preview: Benfica vs Vitoria de Guimaraes - prediction, team news, lineups

Benfica look to bounce back from their Classico defeat before the international break as they welcome Vitoria de Guimaraes to Estadio da Luz on Sunday.

The Eagles’ loss to leaders Porto leaves them second in the Primeira Liga table and five points adrift of the summit, while the Conquerors currently sit 14th in the standings.

Match preview

Losing more ground in the title race was disappointing enough, but Benfica’s 3-1 loss to leaders Porto carried further consequences, as the result brought an end to the Eagles’ 55-game unbeaten run in the Primeira Liga.

After finding themselves a man and a goal down following Clement Lenglet’s 35th-minute dismissal, Marco Silva’s side levelled matters in the 51st minute through Alexander Bah, only to concede again three minutes later before allowing another goal on the hour mark.

The defeat also ended an eight-match winning streak across all competitions, which included an away victory over AC Milan in their Europa League league-phase opener, as well as league wins over Casa Pia, Estoril Praia, Maritimo, Moreirense and Gil Vicente.

Those Primeira Liga triumphs came after a disappointing start to the campaign, with Benfica being held to a 2-2 draw by newly promoted Academico de Viseu at da Luz, while the Porto defeat was the only league match this season in which Silva’s side scored fewer than twice.

No side in the division has found the net more often than the Eagles, who have scored 22 goals, and this weekend’s fixture offers them an opportunity to further demonstrate their attacking threat against opponents they have beaten in their last four meetings, scoring exactly three goals in each of the most recent three.

Vitoria have also struggled at the other end in this fixture, having drawn a blank in each of their last four defeats to Benfica, which does little to inspire confidence given the Guimaraes club’s struggles in the final third this season.

Only the bottom two sides, Casa Pia and Estoril Praia, both with three goals, have found the net fewer times than the Conquerors’ five strikes in the league this season, a tally that has seen the Guimaraes club manage just one victory across their opening seven fixtures (D2, L4).

After losing their first two games of the season, Tiago Margarido recorded his first competitive win as Vitoria’s boss in a matchday three encounter against his former team Nacional, but his side have since alternated between defeats and draws across their subsequent four top-flight matches.

A 1-0 loss against arch-rivals Braga and a 2-1 setback against Academico have come either side of a goalless draw with Casa Pia, while a hard-fought point in a 1-1 stalemate against Moreirense was secured by a stoppage-time equaliser from Toni Borevkovic.

The Conquerors did find a way to end their winless run by recording a 1-0 victory at Chaves in a friendly during the international break, and it remains to be seen whether that result can provide a boost this weekend for a Vitoria side that have lost each of their last five league matches on the road.

Benfica Primeira Liga form:

Benfica form (all competitions):

Vitoria de Guimaraes Primeira Liga form:

Team News

Benfica will be sweating on the fitness of Georgiy Sudakov, who suffered a right-ankle sprain while on international duty with Ukraine, while Jakub Kamiński was also sent home early from Poland’s camp after picking up an adductor injury.

Bah is also doubtful after suffering a recurrence of a right-shoulder injury originally sustained against Marítimo in September, while Enzo Barrenechea is sidelined after undergoing surgery on his left knee to treat a medial meniscus tear.

Lenglet will play no part here as he serves a suspension following his red card against Porto, meaning Alessandro Circati could be handed his first start in defence since joining the Eagles this summer.

Vangelis Pavlidis is expected to lead the line once again this weekend, and the Greek striker, who is currently top scorer in the Primeira Liga campaign with eight goals, should be in good spirits after signing an improved contract with the club.

Vitória are expected to be without Alioune Ndoye, who is serving the second match of his three-game suspension, leaving Arnel Jakupovic and Patrick Ouotro among the options for the attacking positions.

Meanwhile, Gustavo Silva is doubtful after sustaining a right-thigh muscle injury early in the draw with Moreirense in the last league outing,

On the positive side, internationals Oliwier Zych, Tony Strata, Matija Mitrovic and Lohann Doucet have all returned to training, alongside Beni Mukendi and Telmo Arcanjo, giving Margarido a fuller squad to choose from ahead of the daunting trip to the Luz.

Benfica possible starting lineup:

Soares; Banjaqui, T Araujo, Circati, Dahl; Aursnes, Palhinha; Rafa Silva, Schjelderup, Prestianni; Pavlidis

Vitoria de Guimaraes possible starting lineup:

Zych; Strata, Borevkovic, Balieiro, Mendes; Mukendi, Doucet; M Nogueira, Alan, Camara; Jakupovic

We say: Benfica 3-0 Vitoria de Guimaraes

Facing the defending champions at the Estadio do Dragao was never going to be an easy task, and Silva will hope to put that setback behind him as Benfica look to return to winning ways against a struggling Vitória side.

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