Santa Clara vs Benfica Prediction & Betting Tips

Recent form snapshot

Benfica's away sample covers a heavy run of fixtures across the league and Europa League, and the goals have flowed in both directions - 58 scored, 21 conceded across 20 matches. That's a lot of firepower, but also some leaky moments away from home, including defeats at Porto and Milan.

Santa Clara: 20 completed matches; Benfica: 20 completed matches.

Santa Clara

20 matches

Win

55% 11 / 20

Draw

30% 6 / 20

Loss

15% 3 / 20

Scored

32

Conceded

16

Difference

+16

Benfica

20 matches

Win

65% 13 / 20

Draw

20% 4 / 20

Loss

15% 3 / 20

Scored

58

Conceded

21

Difference

+37

Santa Clara's home sample is tighter defensively, with 32 goals for and just 16 against over 20 matches, including friendlies. They've lost only three times in that stretch, and the underlying pattern points to a side that's hard to break down at home even when it doesn't always win.

Benfica look the more explosive attacking side, but Santa Clara's defensive solidity at home is the bigger point of resistance.

Comparative Team Statistics: Santa Clara vs Benfica

Head-to-head history

Looking back over the recorded meetings between these two, Benfica have not lost to Santa Clara in any of the matches listed, with wins and a couple of draws making up the recent record. The most recent meeting in February saw Benfica win 2-1 away, and the one before that finished level.

That's a decent run for Benfica psychologically, though it stretches back several seasons and mixes competitions, so it shouldn't be read as a guarantee of what happens next.

Where they sit in the table

Benfica are second with 16 points from seven games, one ahead of Santa Clara in fourth on 15. The gap is smaller than the positions suggest, and it's largely down to Benfica's extra win rather than any big difference in points won.

Santa Clara are still unbeaten in this sample, with three draws and four wins, while Benfica have taken one defeat but scored more freely.

A one-point gap between second and fourth shows how tight this part of the table is right now.

Players to watch

Vangelis Pavlidis has been in excellent scoring form for Benfica, with eight goals in seven matches, and Gonçalo Prestianni has chipped in with five goals and three assists from the same run. Santa Clara's main outlet has been Gonçalo Paciência, also on five goals in seven appearances.

Santa Clara:

Best scorers:

Gonçalo Paciência - 5

Penalty cards:

Sorriso x 1 x 2

Daniel Borges x 3

Benfica:

Best scorers:

V. Pavlidis - 8

G. Prestianni - 5

L. Barreiro - 2

Best assist providers:

G. Prestianni - 3

V. Pavlidis - 2

A. Schjelderup - 2

Penalty cards:

C. Lenglet x 1 x 1

Tomás Araújo x 3

On the disciplinary side, Benfica's Clément Lenglet has picked up a red card and a yellow in his last seven matches, which is worth keeping an eye on given how often he's been on the pitch.