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Benfica
Primeira Liga | Gameweek 19
Feb 4, 2023 at 6pm UK
Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica
Casa Pia

Benfica
3 - 0
Casa Pia

Mario (35', 43'), Bah (71')
FT(HT: 2-0)

Cuca (33')

Preview: Benfica vs. Casa Pia - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Saturday's Primeira Liga clash between Benfica and Casa Pia, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Casa Pia will be looking to hand Benfica just their second league defeat of the season when they take a trip to the Estadio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica in round 19 of the Primeira Liga on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Roger Schmidt's side will be looking to secure a fourth consecutive victory as they prepare for next week's highly-anticipated Taca de Portugal quarter-final clash against Braga.


Match preview

Benfica's Goncalo Ramos celebrates scoring their first goal with Enzo Fernandez on January 15, 2023© Reuters

Benfica continued their charge to their first league title since the 2018-19 campaign as they cruised to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Arouca when the sides squared off last Tuesday.

In a one-sided affair at the Estádio Municipal de Arouca, Portugal international Joao Mario turned in a superb individual performance as he struck twice to hand the hosts a comfortable lead before Petar Musa put the icing on the cake with an 80th-minute strike.

Schmidt's side are now unbeaten in six consecutive matches across all competitions, claiming one draw and five wins, including a 2-0 victory over Segunda Liga side Varzim in the Taca de Portugal on January 10.

With 50 points from 19 matches, As Aguias currently sit at the top of the Primeira Liga standings, with an eight-point lead over second-placed Porto, who have one game in hand.

Benfica's impressive charge for their first league title in four years has been owing to the solid job done at both ends of the pitch, as they boast the division's best attacking record with 48 goals scored, while they have shipped just 12 so far this season.

Casa Pia's Lucas Soares looks dejected as he walks off the pitch after being shown a red card on January 7, 2023© Reuters

Casa Pia, on the other hand, returned to winning ways last time out when they saw off a resilient Santa Clara side 2-1 at the National Sports Center of Jamor.

Following an uneventful first half, Gabriel Silva converted his 82nd-minute penalty to cancel out Yuki Soma's 75th-minute opener but the Japan international set up Clayton in the fourth minute of stoppage time to sink Os Acoreanos.

Prior to that, Filipe Martins's men saw their three-game unbeaten run come to an end on January 16 when they suffered a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Estoril Praia before falling a 3-1 loss to Casa Praia six days later.

With 30 points from 18 matches, Os Gansos are currently fifth in the league standings, three points above sixth-placed Vitoria de Guimaraes just outside the Europa Conference League qualifying places.

Casa Pia, who have enjoyed a solid return to the top flight, head into the weekend as the fourth-best side on the road in the Primeira Liga — only behind Benfica, Braga and Porto — and will look to pick up their sixth away victory in eight matches.

Benfica Primeira Liga form:


Benfica form (all competitions):


Casa Pia Primeira Liga form:


Casa Pia form (all competitions):


Team News

Benfica coach Roger Schmidt reacts on January 6, 2023© Reuters

Benfica lost World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez to Chelsea in a British-record transfer and the we expect an unchanged midfield pivot of Chiquinho and Florentino Luis for the second consecutive game.

On the injury front, As Aguias will take to the pitch without Portuguese starlet Goncalo Ramos, who is currently recuperating from a muscle problem.

Fellow strike partner Rafa Silva has also missed the last three matches through a muscle issue and the 29-year-old will play no part in Saturday's game.

Soma, who recently completed a loan switch from Japanese outfit Nagoya Grampus Eight, turned in a performance of the highest quality off the bench against Santa Clara last time out and the 25-year-old winger could be rewarded with a starting role on Saturday.

Leo Natel is currently recuperating from injury, too, and is out of contention for the trip to Estadio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica.

Benfica possible starting lineup:
Vlachodimos; Bah, Silva, Otamendi, Grimaldo; Luis; Chiquinho, Mario, Aursnes, Campos; Guedes

Casa Pia possible starting lineup:
Batista; Varela, Nunes, Zolotic, Soares; Taira, Cuca, Poloni; Godwin, Soma, Martins


SM words green background

We say: Benfica 3-0 Casa Pia

Casa Pia face the stern challenge of squaring off against a rampant Benfica side who are currently firing on all cylinders. As Aguias are unbeaten on home soil this season and, given the gulf in experience and quality between the two sides, we are backing them to ease to a comfortable victory on Saturday.


For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting over 2.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Over 2.5:data


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Written by
Joshua Ojele

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Game History

How you voted: Benfica vs Casa Pia

Benfica
94.9%
Draw
5.1%
Casa Pia
0.0%
39
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Sporting Lisbon1311024083233
2Benfica1210113172431
3Porto1310123192231
4Santa ClaraSanta Clara139041612427
5Braga137332213924
6Vitoria de GuimaraesGuimaraes136341612421
7MoreirenseMoreirense136251918120
8FamalicaoFamalicao134631412218
9Rio AveRio Ave134361323-1015
10Casa Pia133551117-614
11Estoril PraiaEstoril133551219-714
12Gil Vicente133461624-813
13Estrela Amadora133371222-1012
14BoavistaBoavista13256816-811
15AVS132561021-1111
16Nacional12237717-109
17SC FarenseFarense13238719-129
18AroucaArouca13229723-168


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