Preview: Estoril Praia vs. Benfica - prediction, team news, lineups

In the second of two successive meetings, Estoril Praia and Benfica go head to head at the Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota in round four of the Taca de Portugal on Wednesday.

Nelson Verrssimo's side will head into the cup tie looking to exact revenge against the visitors after suffering a disappointing defeat when the teams squared off in the Primeira Liga on Sunday.

Match preview

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Estoril Praia failed to find their feet in the Primeira Liga as they fell to a 5-1 thrashing at the hands of Benfica when the sides met last Sunday.

Goals from Petar Musa, Joao Mario, Mihailo Ristic and a brace from Antonio Silva put the visitors in a commanding five-goal lead before substitute Serginho scored a 91st-minute consolation.

Estoril Praia have now failed to win any of their last three matches, picking up one draw and losing twice since claiming a 3-2 victory over AF Setubal First Division side Amor FC in their Taca de Portugal opener on October 14.

Verrssimo's men, who are currently 10th in the Primeira Liga standings with 16 points from 12 games, now turn their attention to the Taca de Portugal, where they are one win away from equaling last season's round-of-16 exit.

However, standing in their way is a bogey Benfica side against whom they have failed to defeat in each of their last 20 attempts, losing 17 and managing just three draws since January 2013.

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Roger Schmidt's side could not have hoped for a better start to the 2022-23 campaign as they sit first in the Primeira Liga standings with an eight-point cushion over second-placed Porto.

As Aguias are also the only unbeaten side in the Portuguese top flight this season after picking up 11 wins in their opening 12 games, with a goalless draw with Vitoria de Guimaraes on October 1 being the only exception.

Benfica's domestic form has also been in keeping with their superb performances in Europe, where they finished first in Group H of the Champions League, leapfrogging Paris Saint-Germain on the final matchday thanks to more away goals scored after both sides finished level on 14 points, with the same goal difference, goals scored and goals conceded.

The 2018-19 Primeira Liga champions now return to the Taca de Portugal, where they avoided an upset in their opening game on October 15 as they were held to a 1-1 draw by lower-tier Caldas SC before seeing off the Campeonato de Portugal side 5-3 on penalties.

Since then, Benfica have picked up five consecutive victories across all competitions, scoring a staggering 21 goals and conceding five in that time, while they remain unbeaten in each of their last 29 outings since May's 1-0 loss to Porto.