SC Braga vs Benfica Lisbon Prediction & Betting Tips - Liga Portugal

Prediction published on 17/12/2023, 07:20  by Joseph King in Liga Portugal Predictions

Sunday in the Portuguese Primeira Liga wraps up with a top-four matchup as fourth-placed Braga hosts third-place Benfica. After finishing third in the standings last year, Braga did well to progress to the Champions League group stage. They would ultimately finish third in their group but should be pleased as they will compete in the Europa League knockout rounds. Their most recent appearance was a 2-0 away defeat to Napoli, a result which snapped a five match unbeaten run which saw the Braguistas win four. Overall, Braga are in a tremendous vein of form with seven wins and one draw from their last eight in the domestic league. Prior to the Napoli loss, Braga had recorded a 3-1 away win over Vizela and a 3-1 home win over Estoril. They’ve been hands down the most exciting team for the neutrals as they lead the scoring charts with 36 goals.

After losing their first game of the Primeira Liga season, Benfica have recovered with a 12 match league unbeaten run. They’re now up to third in the standings with a 9-3-1 record putting them just a single point behind leaders Sporting. Benfica were unable to replicate their fantastic run in the Champions League from last year. However, a 3-1 away win over RB Salzburg in their most recent outing means Roger Schmidt’s men will drop into the Europa League knockout stages after securing third-place in the group. The win over the Austrian outfit also saw Benfica put an end to a streak of three consecutive draws. The Eagles tend to play out higher scoring matches when on the road, meaning a high-scoring match looks likely here. Benfica’s average goals per match rises from 2.33 at home to 2.86 away in the Primeira Liga.