Benfica vs Vitoria de Guimaraes - prediction, team news, lineups

Benfica look to bounce backmost from their Classico decision earlier the planetary interruption arsenic they invited Vitoria de Guimaraes to Estadio da Luz connected Sunday.

The Eagles’ nonaccomplishment to leaders Porto leaves them 2nd successful the Primeira Liga table and 5 points adrift of the summit, portion the Conquerors presently beryllium 14th successful the standings.

Match preview

Losing much crushed successful the rubric contention was disappointing enough, but Benfica’s 3-1 nonaccomplishment to leaders Porto carried further consequences, arsenic the effect brought an extremity to the Eagles’ 55-game unbeaten tally successful the Primeira Liga.

After uncovering themselves a antheral and a extremity down pursuing Clement Lenglet’s 35th-minute dismissal, Marco Silva’s broadside levelled matters successful the 51st infinitesimal done Alexander Bah, lone to concede again 3 minutes aboriginal earlier allowing different extremity connected the hr mark.

The decision besides ended an eight-match winning streak crossed each competitions, which included an distant triumph implicit AC Milan successful their Europa League league-phase opener, arsenic good arsenic league wins implicit Casa Pia, Estoril Praia, Maritimo, Moreirense and Gil Vicente.

Those Primeira Liga triumphs came aft a disappointing commencement to the campaign, with Benfica being held to a 2-2 gully by recently promoted Academico de Viseu astatine da Luz, portion the Porto decision was the lone league lucifer this play successful which Silva’s broadside scored less than twice.

No broadside successful the part has recovered the nett much often than the Eagles, who person scored 22 goals, and this weekend’s fixture offers them an accidental to further show their attacking menace against opponents they person beaten successful their past 4 meetings, scoring precisely 3 goals successful each of the astir caller three.

Vitoria person besides struggled astatine the different extremity successful this fixture, having drawn a blank successful each of their past 4 defeats to Benfica, which does small to animate assurance fixed the Guimaraes club’s struggles successful the last 3rd this season.

Only the bottommost 2 sides, Casa Pia and Estoril Praia, some with 3 goals, person recovered the nett less times than the Conquerors’ 5 strikes successful the league this season, a tally that has seen the Guimaraes nine negociate conscionable 1 triumph crossed their opening 7 fixtures (D2, L4).

After losing their archetypal 2 games of the season, Tiago Margarido recorded his archetypal competitory triumph arsenic Vitoria’s brag successful a matchday 3 brushwood against his erstwhile squad Nacional, but his broadside person since alternated betwixt defeats and draws crossed their consequent 4 top-flight matches.

A 1-0 nonaccomplishment against arch-rivals Braga and a 2-1 setback against Academico person travel either broadside of a goalless gully with Casa Pia, portion a hard-fought constituent successful a 1-1 stalemate against Moreirense was secured by a stoppage-time equaliser from Toni Borevkovic.

The Conquerors did find a mode to extremity their winless tally by signaling a 1-0 triumph astatine Chaves successful a affable during the planetary break, and it remains to beryllium seen whether that effect tin supply a boost this play for a Vitoria broadside that person mislaid each of their past 5 league matches connected the road.
 

Benfica Primeira Liga form:

Benfica signifier (all competitions):

Vitoria de Guimaraes Primeira Liga form:

Team News

Benfica volition beryllium sweating connected the fittingness of Georgiy Sudakov, who suffered a right-ankle sprain portion connected planetary work with Ukraine, portion Jakub Kamiński was besides sent location aboriginal from Poland’s campy aft picking up an adductor injury.

Bah is besides doubtful aft suffering a recurrence of a right-shoulder wounded primitively sustained against Marítimo successful September, portion Enzo Barrenechea is sidelined aft undergoing country connected his near genu to dainty a medial meniscus tear.

Lenglet volition play nary portion present arsenic helium serves a suspension pursuing his reddish paper against Porto, meaning Alessandro Circati could beryllium handed his archetypal commencement successful defence since joining the Eagles this summer.

Vangelis Pavlidis is expected to pb the enactment erstwhile again this weekend, and the Greek striker, who is presently apical scorer successful the Primeira Liga run with 8 goals, should beryllium successful bully spirits aft signing an improved declaration with the club.

Vitória are expected to beryllium without Alioune Ndoye, who is serving the 2nd lucifer of his three-game suspension, leaving Arnel Jakupovic and Patrick Ouotro among the options for the attacking positions.

Meanwhile, Gustavo Silva is doubtful aft sustaining a right-thigh musculus wounded aboriginal successful the  draw with Moreirense successful the past league outing,

On the affirmative side, internationals Oliwier Zych, Tony Strata, Matija Mitrovic and Lohann Doucet person each returned to training, alongside Beni Mukendi and Telmo Arcanjo, giving Margarido a fuller squad to take from up of the daunting travel to the Luz.
 

Benfica imaginable starting lineup:

Soares; Banjaqui, T Araujo, Circati, Dahl; Aursnes, Palhinha; Rafa Silva, Schjelderup, Prestianni; Pavlidis

Vitoria de Guimaraes imaginable starting lineup:

Zych; Strata, Borevkovic, Balieiro, Mendes; Mukendi, Doucet; M Nogueira, Alan, Camara; Jakupovic

We say: Benfica 3-0 Vitoria de Guimaraes

Facing the defending champions astatine the Estadio bash Dragao was ne'er going to beryllium an casual task, and Silva volition anticipation to enactment that setback down him arsenic Benfica look to instrumentality to winning ways against a struggling Vitória side. 

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.