Preview: Braga vs Benfica - prediction, team news, lineups

Ending the year as they began, Braga and Benfica will trade blows this weekend at Estadio Municipal de Braga in Primeira Liga matchday 16’s headline fixture.

Both sides kicked off 2025 with a clash at Estadio da Luz, with the Archbishops emerging 2-1 winners in that encounter, and will aim for a repeat here as they look to push into the top four.

Match preview

Braga enter this encounter following a routine win over lower-league minnows Caldas on Tuesday, with second-half goals from Fran Navaro, Paulo Oliveira and Mario Dorgeles securing passage into the Taca de Portugal quarter-finals.

The result came as a perfect reaction from the Archbishops, who had seen a four-game winning streak in the Primeira Liga come to an end following their 1-0 loss at Estoril Praia last Friday.

That remains Braga’s only defeat in an otherwise flawless run of seven victories in nine games across all competitions (D1), while also marking a fourth league loss in their opening 15 fixtures of the campaign.

Seven wins and four draws in that sequence leave Carlos Vicens’s men fifth in the Primeira Liga table and just one point behind fourth-placed Gil Vicente, so picking up a win here would see Braga finish the year in the top four if results elsewhere go their way.

Six victories from seven games on their own turf across all competitions (D) offer belief heading into this encounter, though the Archbishops have a three-match winless run at home to contend with, with the most recent such meeting ending in a 1-1 draw.

That is not to say the Reds have had it easy in recent trips to Braga, having recorded just one victory in their last six visits, while losing three during that run.

Benfica, however, enter Sunday’s encounter full of confidence, having gone nine matches across all competitions without defeat, winning seven in that sequence, including each of the last four without conceding.

The latest of what has been an impressive run was a 1-0 victory against Famalicao last weekend, secured by a Vangelis Pavlidis penalty, though Jose Mourinho’s side remain three points behind second-placed Sporting Lisbon and a whopping eight adrift of the Primeira Liga summit.

One of only two teams yet to suffer defeat in the Portuguese top flight this season, Benfica’s struggle to keep pace at the top has stemmed from a failure to turn draws into wins, with two of their five stalemates coming against sides that finished in the top four last term.

Facing another such opponent this weekend, the Reds can at least draw encouragement from their strong record on the road, having claimed six wins from seven league outings away from home this campaign (D1), with the only exception coming against leaders Porto.

Braga Primeira Liga form:

Braga form (all competitions):

Benfica Primeira Liga form:

Benfica form (all competitions):

Team News

Braga will once again be without striker Amine El Ouazzani, who has missed each of the last three outings due to a metatarsal fracture, while long-term absentee Jonatas Noro is expected to remain sidelined.

Centre-back Gustaf Lagerbielke was withdrawn in the first half last time out, raising doubts over his availability for Sunday’s encounter and adding to Vicens’s defensive concerns, with Sikou Niakate away on international duty at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

Tomas Araujo was also forced off in Benfica’s most recent outing, leaving his availability for this weekend uncertain, with Antonio Silva in line to deputise at centre-back should the 23-year-old fail to recover in time.

Meanwhile, Leandro Barreiro remains sidelined with an ankle injury, while centre-forward Henrique Araujo continues his recovery from a muscle problem.

Dodi Lukebakio is also unavailable due to an ankle issue, while long-term absentees Bruma (Achilles tendon) and Alexander Bah (ACL) will continue their rehabilitation.

Pavlidis currently leads the Primeira Liga Golden Boot race with 14 goals, and the Greek striker will be keen to add to that tally this weekend.

Braga possible starting lineup:

Hornicek; V Carvalho, Oliveira, Arrey-Mbi; Gomez, Moutinho, Gorby, Lelo; Victor, Navarro, Horta

Benfica possible starting lineup:

Trubin; Dedic, Silva, Otamendi, Dahl; Barrenechea, Rios; Aursnes, Sudakov, Prestianni; Pavlidis

We say: Braga 1-2 Benfica

Sunday’s trip is not expected to come easily for Benfica, as they face an in-form Braga side that has seen the majority of results fall their way in recent weeks.

The most recent meeting between the two sides ended in a 1-1 draw, but with the Reds carrying strong momentum on the road, they may just edge another closely contested affair between the two sides.

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