Sunday's Primeira Liga predictions including Famalicao vs. Benfica

Estoril vs. Santa Clara (Sunday, 3.30pm)

Santa Clara are back in the Primeira Liga and they will get their top-flight campaign underway with a trip to Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota to face Estoril Praia on Sunday afternoon.

The hosts ended last season in 13th place with 33 points, while the visitors earned promotion at the first time of asking, winning Liga Portugal 2 with 73 points, two clear of Nacional.

We say: Estoril Praia 1-0 Santa Clara

It will be interesting to see how Santa Clara start the season after an impressive Liga Portugal 2 campaign. However, Estoril were a difficult team to beat on their home patch last season and we feel they will get the new off to a winning start.

Famalicao vs. Benfica (Sunday, 6.00pm)

Benfica will begin their quest to win back the Primeira Liga title with a trip to Estadio Municipal 22 de Junho to face Famalicao in their season opener on Sunday evening.

The hosts ended last season in eighth place with 42 points, while the visitors were league title runners-up with 80 points, 10 behind champions Sporting Lisbon.

We say: Famalicao 1-2 Benfica

Benfica will be determined to make a positive start to the new campaign here, especially having seen Sporting already bag their first win of the new season. Fama are never an easy side to beat on their home patch, but we feel the Eagles will be able to outscore their opponents in this one.

Farense vs. Moreirense (Sunday, 6.00pm)

SC Farense and Moreirense will get their second successive Primeira Liga season underway this weekend when they face off at Estadio de Sao Luis on Sunday evening.

The hosts ended last season in 10th place with 37 points, while the visitors finished in a very impressive sixth spot with 55 points in their 34 top-flight matches.

We say: SC Farense 1-1 Moreirense

Moreirense won this fixture home and away last season, but Farense have had a solid pre-season and are arguably slightly more settled given that the visitors have a new manager at the helm.

Both these sides would love the win here but will also want to avoid an opening-match defeat, and we feel they will be fairly content to share the spoils.

Braga vs. Estrela Amadora (Sunday, 8.30pm)

The final match of the weekend will see Sporting Braga kick off their 2024-25 Primeira Liga season with a matchup against Estrela Amadora at Estadio Municipal de Braga on Sunday evening.

Braga ended last season in fourth place with 68 points, while the visitors finished down in 14th place with 33 points in 34 matches, avoiding the relegation scrap by the slenderest of margins.

We say: Braga 2-0 Estrela Amadora

Braga only lost four home games last season and have already had three matches in Europe to get up to full speed this term. They also beat this opponent convincingly home and away in the last campaign and we feel they will get the new season started with a fairly comfortable win in this one.