With a chance to temporarily cut the gap from the top of the standings to four points, Benfica kick off round 22 of the 2025-26 Primeira Liga season with a clash against Santa Clara on Friday evening.
While the visitors are hunting maximum points to aid their title pursuit, the hosts could also do with a victory, albeit for very different reasons, as they seek to beat the drop.
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Santa Clara vs Benfica prediction: Benfica to steamroll out-of-sorts hosts
Key stats
- Benfica are still unbeaten in the league this season after 21 matches.
- The Lisbon giants have not lost any of their last four outings across all competitions since a 2-0 Champions League defeat to Juventus.
- Santa Clara are on a four-game losing streak and have not won any of their most recent nine outings.
- Friday's hosts could really do with some tightening up at the back, having conceded in each of their last six affairs.
Correct score prediction: Santa Clara 1-3 Benfica
Having watched Porto drop points last time out against fellow contenders Sporting CP last time out, Benfica have been handed a lifeline in the title race but will need to be near-perfect from here on out.
We are backing Jose Mourinho's men to make light work of a struggling Santa Clara outfit and come away with all three points.
Pre-game odds and win probability: Benfica the favourites by a country mile
- HOME: 11/2 (6.50) – 15.4%
- DRAW: 16/5 (4.20) – 23.8%
- AWAY: 1/2 (1.50) – 66.7%
*Odds from Ladbrokes, subject to change
Benfica have won seven of their 10 away league matches this season (D3), while conceding the joint-fewest goals on the road of any Primeira Liga outfit.
Per the bookies, a win for the visitors is the most likely outcome at 1/2 (1.50), although Benfica were far from convincing in their most recent display against Alverca, where they needed an 86th-minute winner from Anisio Cabral to get the job done.
For Santa Clara, their slide towards the second tier seems to be gathering momentum with each passing week, and Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Estrela has left them two points shy of safety.
Petit's men will need to upset the odds to stun Benfica and pick up a first win since early December.
For more from the upcoming matches, today’s free football betting tips look at some of the best picks.
Most recent H2Hs: Benfica unbeaten in 10
Benfica were left disappointed at the sound of the final whistle in their most recent encounter against Santa Clara, who struck a stoppage-time equaliser to end an eight-game losing run in this fixture.
Friday's hosts will now seek to inflict a first defeat on their visitors since August 2020.
Portugal Primeira Liga 12/09/25
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Santa Clara
Portugal Primeira Liga 15/02/25
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Portugal League Cup 30/10/24
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Portugal Primeira Liga 14/09/24
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Portugal Primeira Liga 27/05/23
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Santa Clara preview: Matheus Araujo the only absentee
While Santa Clara have endured an underwhelming campaign overall, they have had one of the cleanest bills of health so far.
Barring Matheus Araujo, who is yet to feature this year due to a muscle injury, Petit has a full squad at his disposal.
Predicted lineup: Batista (GK), Victor, Lima, Venancio, Soares, Ferreira, Klismahn, Serginho, Silva, Wendell & Lopes
Santa Clara's last five matches:
- Estrela 1-0 Santa Clara (Primeira Liga)
- Santa Clara 2-4 Estoril (Primeira Liga)
- Moreirense 1-0 Santa Clara (Primeira Liga)
- Santa Clara 0-1 Famalicao (Primeira Liga)
- Nacional 3-3 Santa Clara (Primeira Liga)
Benfica preview: Sidny Cabral's suspension adds to growing list of absentees
Unlike Friday's opponents, Benfica have had some tough luck on the injury front with seven players currently ruled out of the trip to Santa Clara.
Alexander Bah, Nuno Felix, Dodi Lukebakio, Richard Rios, Samuel Soares, Joao Veloso and Henrique Araujo will all miss out for the away side, alongside Sidny Cabral, who picked up his fifth yellow card of the season against Alverca.
Predicted lineup: Trubin (GK), Dahl, Otamendi, Araujo, Banjaqui, Barreiro, Aursnes, Prestianni, Silva, Schjelderup & Pavlidis
Benfica's last five matches:
- Benfica 2-1 Alverca (Primeira Liga)
- Tondela 0-0 Benfica (Primeira Liga)
- Benfica 4-2 Real Madrid (Champions League)
- Benfica 4-0 Estrela (Primeira Liga)
- Juventus 2-0 Benfica (Champions League)
Player to watch – Andreas Schjelderup
Schjelderup has scored three times in his last three matches to double his tally for the season after what was a rough start in front of goal.
The Denmark international was linked with a move away from Estadio da Luz during the winter window, but now looks to be enjoying his football once again.
He will be aiming to deliver the goods for Benfica on Friday to continue his recent upturn in form.