Preview: Rio Ave vs. Benfica - prediction, team news, lineups

Fresh off their Champions League exit in midweek, Benfica shift focus to the Primeira Liga as they travel to Rio Ave for a matchday 26 encounter in search of respite.

The Reds saw their European journey come to an end after a 3-1 defeat at Barcelona, having already lost the first leg 1-0 last Wednesday.

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Match preview

Football is often unpredictable, but expecting Benfica to triumph at Barcelona was never the most feasible task, particularly given how they squandered a numerical advantage in the first leg.

Their nightmare resurfaced on Tuesday, as former Sporting Lisbon winger Raphinha struck twice, taking his tally to five goals against them in this campaign after netting a brace in the dramatic 5-4 league phase encounter before sealing victory at Estadio da Luz.

While winning the Champions League was never a realistic prospect, Benfica's elimination means their sole route to returning next season is through the Primeira Liga.

Fortunately, they remain firmly in the title race, having clawed back a significant deficit on leaders Sporting after a remarkable resurgence.

Benfica endured a dismal run between December 29 and January 25, losing three of four top-flight outings and winning just once, a slump that left Bruno Lage's men third with a sizeable gap to the summit.

Since then, however, the Reds have strung together five straight victories, most recently a 3-0 triumph over Nacional, a streak that has propelled them to second with 56 points — just three behind Sporting and with a game in hand.

The Eagles can be confident of extending their winning run, given their dominant record against Rio, whom they have beaten in nine of their last ten top-flight meetings, including a commanding 5-0 victory in the reverse fixture last October.

The only blemish in this streak was a 1-1 away draw last season, but with back-to-back league wins on the road against Santa Clara and Estrela Amadora, Benfica have reason to believe they can maintain their momentum.

With six wins, two draws and three losses, the Reds have the fourth-best record on their travels in the division and will hope this counts for something on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Rio were unable to build on their impressive victory over Braga, falling to a 1-0 defeat at Famalicao on Monday, leaving them 10th in the standings with 29 points.

Their campaign has been defined by inconsistency, reflected in their last eight outings, where they have suffered three defeats and drawn twice, with the Rioavistas's two victories in this stretch coming four games apart.

As a testament to their struggles, Rio have only won consecutive league matches once this season, a feat achieved between November 9 and 30.

This inconsistency is mirrored in their home form, having only secured back-to-back wins at the start of the campaign against SC Farense and Arouca.

The hosts now have an opportunity to replicate that after their 2-1 victory over Braga, but they face a daunting challenge against Benfica, whom they have failed to beat on their own turf in the league for a decade, with their last success being a 2-1 triumph in March 2015.

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Team News

Martim Neto is ineligible to face his parent club, meaning Rio's midfield should feature Ege Tiknaz, Brandon Aguilera and Ole Pohlmann.

Tiago Morais could be handed a start out wide if Petit opts for changes, as Kiko Bondoso and Andre Luiz have struggled for impact, with one of them likely to drop to the bench.

Nelson Abbey is expected to start at left-back, while Jonathan Panzo and Andreas Ntoi will form the centre-back pairing in the absence of Francisco Petrasso, who remains an injury concern.

For Benfica, Bruma, who did not feature against Barcelona, should provide fresh legs and an attacking spark on the left, likely replacing Andreas Schjelderup, while Kerem Akturkoglu is set to start on the opposite flank.

Lage has rotated his striker options recently, alternating between Vangelis Pavlidis and Andrea Belotti, but given the significance of this fixture, the Greek forward is expected to start, having found the net five times in his last five league appearances.

Florentino Luis is fully fit and available for selection, but given his recent return from injury, the manager may opt for Leandro Barreiro to partner Fredrik Aursnes and Orkun Kokcu in midfield.

Angel Di Maria's availability remains uncertain after missing the last eight matches due to a muscle problem, while Tiago Gouveia, Alexander Bah and Manu Silva are confirmed absentees for Sunday.

Rio Ave possible starting lineup: Miszta; Abbey, Panzo, Ntoi, Vrousai; Tiknaz, Pohlmann, Aguilera; Bondoso, Clayton, Morais

Benfica possible starting lineup: Trubin; Araujo, Otamendi, Silva, Carreras; Barreiro, Aursnes; Akturkoglu, Kokcu; Bruma; Pavlidis

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We say: Rio Ave 1-3 Benfica

For all their inconsistencies, Rio have been tough to beat on their own turf, losing just once in 12 league games, though with Benfica in rampant form in recent top-flight outings, they should have enough to take all three points as they push to strengthen their title bid.

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

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