Preview: Benfica vs. Chaves - prediction, team news, lineups

Vitor Campelos's men, who are currently on a run of two consecutive victories in the league, will head into the weekend looking to cause an upset and hand the hosts their first defeat of the season.

Match preview

Benfica maintained their unbeaten European record on Tuesday when they secured an impressive 4-3 victory over Italian giants Juventus on home turf.

Antonio Silva, Joao Mario and Rafa Silva all found the target to hand the hosts a 3-1 first-half lead, and after Rafa Silva doubled his tally with a 50th-minute strike, Arkadiusz Milik and Weston McKennie found the target in a late flurry from the Italians.

Benfica have now picked up three wins and two draws from their five Champions League matches to collect 11 points and sit second in Group H, only below first-placed Paris Saint-Germain on goal difference.

As Aguias now turn their attention to the Primeira Liga, where they have enjoyed a sensational start to the season, claiming an impressive nine wins and one draw from their opening 10 matches.

Roger Schmidt's side, whose last league defeat dates back to May 7, when they were beaten 1-0 by rivals Porto, currently lead the way in the league standings with a six-point cushion over Braga and Porto, who are tied on 22 points.

Meanwhile, Chaves turned in a resilient team performance last time out when they rallied from behind to claim a 3-1 victory over Gil Vicente at the Estadio Municipal Eng. Manuel Branco Teixeira.

In a game where Adrian Marin received his marching orders, Fran Navarro's 25th-minute strike saw the visitors take a one-goal lead into half time before a second-half brace from Joao Mendes and Jonny Ariba's 59th-minute strike.

This followed a hard-fought 1-0 victory away to second-placed Braga on October 9, when former Atletico Madrid forward Hector Hernandez netted the only goal of the game to hand Artur Jorge's men their second loss of the season.

Sandwiched between the two victories, Chaves were sent packing from the Taca de Portugal in the third round courtesy of a 3-2 extra-time defeat at the hands of lower-tier Valadares Gaia on October 16.

The Flavienses have now picked up four wins, three draws and lost three of their 10 league matches to collect 15 points and sit ninth in the Primeira Liga standings, level on points with Portimonense and Estoril Praia.

While Chaves will be looking to secure a third consecutive league win since picking up five consecutive victories in the Segunda Liga back in April, standing in their way is a Benfica side who are unbeaten in their previous six encounters, claiming five wins and one draw since September 2016.

Benfica Primeira Liga form:

W

W

W

D

W

W

Benfica form (all competitions):

D

D

W

D

W

W

Chaves Primeira Liga form:

D

L

L

D

W

W

Team News

Benfica remain without the services of Felipe Morato, who has been out of action since August through a severe ankle injury.

Summer signing Julian Draxler missed the game against Juventus in midweek after sustaining a muscle problem versus Porto last weekend.

Off the back of superb goalscoring display in the Champions League, Schmidt should name an unchanged attacking quartet of Goncalo Ramos, Fredrik Aursnes, Rafa Silva and Mario.

Meanwhile, Chaves will take to the pitch without former AEL Limassol defender Euller, who has missed the last seven matches through an ankle injury.

He is joined on the club's injury table by the midfield duo of Nwankwo Obiora and Sidy Sarr, while 24-year-old defender Bruno Alberto Langa picked up an injury against Braga on October 9.

Benfica possible starting lineup:

Vlachodimos; Bah, Silva, Otamendi, Grimaldo; Aursnes, Fernández; Aursnes, Silva, Mario, Ramos

Chaves possible starting lineup:

Fagundes; Correia, Vitoria, Monte; Borges, Mendes, Pina, Teixeira; Arriba, Hernandez, Juninho

We say: Benfica 3-11 Chaves

Benfica have flown out of the blocks this season and currently sit comfortably at the top of the Primeira Liga standings. While we expect the visitors to put up a fight, we are backing As Aguias to pick up where they dropped off in the Champions League and claim all three points in front of their home fans.

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