Fresh off a two-week hiatus, the Primeira Liga returns as Gil Vicente welcome Benfica for the opening fixture of matchday 27 on Friday evening.
The hosts will be eager for a new start following the international break, hoping to turn their fortunes around, while the visitors seek to maintain their momentum in the title race.
Match preview
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Enduring their toughest spell of the campaign, Gil Vicente's struggles continued in their last outing as they fell to a 1-0 defeat against Santa Clara, extending their winless run in the league to seven matches and eight in all competitions.
It was a familiar story for the Roosters, who had conceded the opening goal in six of their previous seven games, and while they salvaged a late draw at Estrela Amadora the match before, that proved to be a blip, as Cesar Peixoto's men once again lacked cutting edge in the final third, unable to respond to Joao Costa's 27th-minute strike.
Indeed, Gil's woes stem largely from a misfiring attack, having failed to find the net in six of those winless games, with five of those blanks coming in the league.
As a result, the Gilistas have been dragged deeper into the relegation battle, sitting 14th with 23 points, only ahead of the playoff spot on goal difference.
Gil's defeat to Santa Clara also marked a third consecutive home loss in the Primeira Liga, a worrying dip considering they had only suffered one such setback in their previous nine.
This paints a grim picture as they prepare to face a side that has beaten them in the last six meetings on their own turf.
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For Benfica, dominance in this fixture extends beyond their away trips, with their 5-1 thrashing of Gil Vicente at Estadio da Luz in the reverse fixture serving as a reminder of their superiority.
In stark contrast to their hosts, Bruno Lage's men are in electrifying form, securing a dramatic 3-2 victory at Rio Ave last time out to extend their winning streak in the league to six matches.
Unlike their previous two outings, where they claimed comfortable 3-0 triumphs over Nacional and Boavista, Benfica had to dig deep after squandering a two-goal lead, with an 80th-minute strike from Kerem Akturkoglu ensuring all three points.
This rich vein of form has seen the Eagles score at least three goals in five of their last six top-flight outings, making them the second-most prolific side in the division with 59 goals.
The Reds's resurgence has also reignited their title charge, as Lage's side now sit second with 59 points, just three behind league leaders Sporting Lisbon, who have played a game more.
The win at Rio Ave marked Benfica's third successive victory on the road in the Primeira Liga, just one fewer than they managed in their previous nine, and with this recent upturn, they will fancy their chances of collecting maximum points on Friday to close the gap at the summit.
Team News
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Jesus Castillo might not be available for Gil Vicente after returning from international duty on Wednesday, which could see Mohammed Bamba take his place, having already done so against Santa Clara.
Tomas Casares is fully recovered and could feature in midfield on Friday, while Kanya Fujimoto, who has been operating centrally, may shift out wide if Peixoto opts for a more defensively solid midfield.
Meanwhile, Sphephelo Sithole remains sidelined as he continues his recovery from a long-term ligament injury.
For Benfica, Tiago Gouveia, Alexander Bah and Manu Silva are expected to miss out due to fitness concerns, while Tomas Araujo and Angel Di Maria are doubtful.
If fully fit, Araujo will likely partner Antonio Silva in central defence, with Nicolas Otamendi's late return from international duty possibly keeping him out of contention, while Alvaro Carreras could feature as a third centre-back, allowing Samuel Dahl to push forward as a left-wing-back.
Even if Di Maria is available, he is unlikely to start, meaning Zeki Amdouni and Akturkoglu, who impressed with Turkey during the break, could operate on the left, while Bruma and Andreas Schjelderup compete for a spot on the opposite flank.
However, despite his fine form for the national team, Orkun Kokcu will play no part on Friday as he serves a suspension due to an accumulation of bookings.
If Fredrik Aursnes features on the right wing, Florentino Luis and Leandro Barreiro could form the midfield pairing, but if the Norwegian plays centrally, one of them will partner him in the middle of the park.
Gil Vicente possible starting lineup:
Andrew; Cruz, Sa, Fernandes, Mewesi; Caseres, Castillo, Garcia; Barmejo, Eduardo, Correia
Benfica possible starting lineup:
Trubin; Araujo, Silva, Carreras; Santos, Aursnes, Florentino, Soares; Bruma, Pavlidis, Akturkoglu
We say: Gil Vicente 0-3 Benfica
Benfica enter this encounter as overwhelming favourites, and with their impressive form and dominant head-to-head record, they should claim three points in convincing fashion against a struggling Gil Vicente side.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Adeyeye Oluwapelumi
