Preview: Santa Clara vs. Benfica - prediction, team news, lineups

Jorge Simao's side currently sit in the relegation playoff spot, while The Eagles sit proudly atop the standings, four points clear of their nearest title challengers Braga.

Match preview

Santa Clara approach this weekend's contest against Benfica in a precautionary position in the Primeira Liga standings.

Simao's men could find themselves even closer to the relegation zone after the conclusion of the current round of the Portuguese top-flight matches if they were to suffer another defeat this weekend.

At the risk of plying their trade in Liga Portugal 2 for the first time since 2019, Santa Clara have registered only two victories at the Estadio de Sao Miguel.

Conceding more goals than their increasingly-frustrated fan base have had the pleasure of witnessing this season, the San Sebastian-based outfit are yet to be victorious in three league games dating back to mid-November.

Santa Clara have suffered two defeats across their previous three Primeira Liga matches, with Simao's side initially succumbing to relegation adversaries Gil Vicente - 1-0 - on December 29 before being comprehensively swept aside by one of Benfica's current title challengers Braga, at the Estadio de Sao Miguel a week later.

However, the hosts partially got back on track at Portimonense on Sunday - 0-0 - despite playing most of the match with a numerical disadvantage after defender Pierre Sagna was sent off in the opening 45 minutes.

At the opposite end of the standings, Benfica have been unstoppable, albeit with a solitary glitch this season in pursuit of once again stamping their footballing authority on Portuguese football.

Undefeated in all but one of the matches this season, Roger Schmidt's side have accumulated an eye-catching tally of 16 away points from a possible 21 on offer.

An ever-present on the continental front since 2009-10, Benfica will almost certainly take their place at the table among the best that European football has to offer, but also in contention of lifting their first top-flight Portuguese title since the 2018-19 campaign.

In the wake of a league-high 13 victories and additionally the joint-highest number of goals - 40 - it will take a spirited performance from Santa Clara to stop the Eagles' flight towards the summit of the Primeira Liga mountain.

The Eagles make the journey to the Estadio de Sao Miguel unbeaten in their last four meetings between the two sides.

Santa Clara Primeira Liga form:

D

D

W

L

L

D

Santa Clara form (all competitions):

D

L

L

L

L

D

Benfica Primeira Liga form:

W

W

W

L

W

D

Benfica form (all competitions):

W

D

L

W

W

D

Team News

No player has scored more goals across the current Primeira Liga campaign than Goncalo Ramos - 11 - with the in-form Portugal international expected to be one of the first names on Benfica manager Roger Schmidt's team sheet for the trip to the Estadio de Sao Miguel.

Equally effective in front of goal, midfielder maestros Joao Mario and Rafa will again support the aforementioned Ramos in the final third after finding the back of the net on a respective six and seven occasions this season.

With no Santa Clara player able to say that they have scored more than two league goals this season, we could see Jorge Simao altering his attacking assets in the final third.

Leading The Azoreans' league goalscoring charts with two goals apiece, Rildo, on-loan Athletico Paranaense striker Matheus Babi and Kennedy Boateng could all start against the current league leaders on Saturday evening.

After coming off the substitutes' bench against Portimonense, Uruguayan defender Cristian Gonzalez is likely to replace the suspended Pierre Sagna following the latter's dismissal against Portimonense.

Santa Clara possible starting lineup:

Gabriel; Sagna, Boateng, Gonzalez, Quintilla; Costinha, Almeida, Firmino; Rildo, Babi, Silva

Benfica possible starting lineup:

Vlachodimos; Bah, Silva, Otamendi, Ristic; Rafa, Fernandez, Chiquinho; Mario, Draxler, Ramos

We say: Santa Clara 0-2 Benfica

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