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

Roger Schmidt's side head into the weekend on a blistering run of 12 consecutive victories across all competitions and will look to keep the juggernaut rolling.

Match preview

Boavista were sent crashing down to earth in the new Primeira Liga campaign as they fell to a disappointing 2-0 defeat at the hands of Casa Pia last Sunday.

In a cagey affair at the National Sports Center of Jamor, Rafael Martins and Saviour Godwin scored second-half goals to hand the newly-promoted side their first win of the season.

Prior to that, Os Axadrezados claimed a hard-fought 1-0 win at Portimonense in their league opener on August 7 before returning home to see off nine-man Santa Clara 2-1 one week later.

While Boavista will be looking to return to winning ways, their next task sees them go up against a Benfica side who are unbeaten in 15 of the last 17 meetings between the teams since August 2014, claiming 13 wins and two draws in that time.

Schmidt's men secured their place in the group stages of the 2022-23 Champions League last time out as they claimed a 3-0 second-leg win over Dynamo Kiev in the qualifying playoffs to complete a 5-0 aggregate victory over the Ukrainian side.

In a one-sided affair at the Estadio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica, As Aguias turned in a performance of the highest quality as Nicolas Otamendi, Rafa Silva and David Neres scored first-half goals to make light work of their Ukrainian counterparts.

As Aguias have been handed a tough draw in the group stages of the Champions League as they will face Juventus, Maccabi Haifa and 2019-20 beaten finalists Paris Saint-Germain in Group H of the European showpiece.

Benfica now turn their attention to the Primeira Liga, where they have kicked off their new campaign with two wins from their opening two games, seeing off Arouca 4-0 in their curtain-raiser on August 5 before claiming a hard-fought 1-0 win over Casa Pia one week later.

The 2018-19 Portuguese champions head into the weekend on a run of 12 consecutive wins across all competitions, dating back to a 1-0 loss at the hands of Porto when the sides met on May 7.

Boavista Primeira Liga form:

Boavista form (all competitions):

Benfica Primeira Liga form:

Benfica form (all competitions):

Team News

Boavista will once again have to make do with the absence of 23-year-old midfielder Miguel Reisinho, who has been out of action since last August through a long-term knee injury.

Ricardo Mangas, who recently returned from a season-long loan spell with French side Bordeaux, is set to sit out the opening four games of the season through a muscle injury.

Meanwhile, Benfica will be without the services of Argentine defender Otamendi after the 34-year-old picked up a late red card against Casa Pia last Thursday.

In his absence, fellow veteran Jan Vertonghen will push for his first start of the season, teaming up with Gilberto, Felipe Morato and Alejandro Grimaldo at the defensive end of the pitch.

On the injury front, the duo of Joao Victor and Lucas Verissimo will play no part in this weekend's encounter as they are currently recuperating from muscle and knee injuries respectively.

Boavista possible starting lineup:

Bracali; Cannon, Sasso, Abascal; Malheiro, Perez, Makouta, Ferreira; Agra, Bozenik, Gorre

Benfica possible starting lineup:

Vlachodimos; Gilberto, Vertonghen, Morato, Grimaldo; Fernandez, Luís; Goncalves, Silva, Mario; Ramos

We say: Boavista 0-2 Benfica

While Boavista will be looking to return to winning ways this weekend, standing in their way is a spirited Benfica side who have won their last 12 games across all competitions since May. We are backing As Aguias to continue in the same vein and make light work of the home side.

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