Benfica – FC Porto Prediction & Picks (22.01.2019)

Benfica-FC-Porto

Benfica – FC Porto SOCCER PICKS

Benfica and Porto face at Estádio Municipal de Braga, in a match for this phase of the League Cup (Semi-finals). The history of recent direct confrontations is favorable to the visiting team, which has 3 wins, 4 draws and 1 loss in the last 8 matches. The last direct confrontation between these two teams, on 07-10-2018, ended with the victory of Benfica by (1-0).

Benfica:

The home team reaches this stage of the League Cup (Semi-finals) after having finished the group stage in the 1st position of Group A, with 7 points won. In the last match that they disputed, for the Primeira Liga, they won against Vitória Guimarães by (0-1). In the last 10 home matches Benfica has won 8, tied 1 and lost 1. Their attack has scored regularly, since they have scored goals in 9 of the last 10 matches. In 15 games, they suffered the first goal 5 times, but got the comeback in 2.

Benfica comes to this game with a 0-1 victory in the move to the Vitória de Guimarães arena, adding the fourth successive win in several competitions: Seferovic scored the team’s only goal. We emphasize that the locals won 8 of the last 10 matches played. In this game against the eternal rival FC Porto, coach Bruno Lage must keep the team in 4-4-2, favoring the defensive organization and counterattacks by the flanks. Swiss striker Seferovic is Benfica’s best scorer, with 11 goals scored. For this semi-final of the League Cup, the coach has Jonas and Fejsa in doubt, both with physical problems.

Porto:

The visiting team got access to this phase of the League Cup (Semi-finals) after the 1st place conquered in Group C, with a total of 7 points. The team comes to this match after a win away with Chaves by (1-4). In the last 10 games played away for all competitions, Porto won 9 and tied 1. Their defense has not been very strong, as they have suffered goals in 8 of the last 10 matches, but their attack has scored regularly, since who scored goals in 9 of the last 10 matches. In their home matches there is a tendency for few goals, since 12 of the last 28 matches have ended with Under 1,5 goals and 17 out of 28 have ended with Under 2,5 goals. In 15 games, he suffered the first goal 5 times, but always got the comeback. In the last 11 home matches for all competitions there is 1 period that stands out: they have conceded 3 of their 7 goals between minutes (31′-45 ‘).

FC Porto arrives at this game motivated, after having returned to victories, by triumphing in the Chaves field by 1-4: the goals of the team were marked by Tiquinho Soares (3) and Nuno André Coelho (own goal). Like their adversary, the visitors won 8 of the 10 previous matches. The FC Porto presents competition in the offensive sector and, in addition, the defensive line has acted with great quality: Felipe and Pepe are the bosses of the defense. It is inevitable to highlight the marathon runner Alex Telles, who is responsible for making a large part of the left flank. On the other hand, Moussa Marega is the great highlight of FC Porto, with 15 goals scored in several competitions. For this important game coach Sérgio Conceição can not count on Aboubakar, injured, besides having in doubt Octavio, Danilo Pereira and Maxi Pereira.


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