Benfica Takes on Santa Clara

Benfica’s Commanding Start to the Season

Benfica has commenced the new Primeira Liga season with an impressive run of three consecutive victories. They methodically defeated Estrela 1-0 in an away fixture, followed by a dominant 3-0 home triumph against Tondela, and then secured a hard-fought 2-1 away win over Arouca just before the international break. Notably, the match against Arouca saw them concede their first goal of the domestic campaign.

Dynamic Squad Changes and Champions League Success

During this period, Bruno Lage’s squad underwent significant personnel adjustments before the transfer window concluded. Furthermore, the team successfully navigated the UEFA Champions League qualification stages, where they first dismantled Nice with two 2-0 victories, then proceeded to overcome José Mourinho’s Fenerbahçe after a 1-0 win and a goalless draw.

Recent Transfers and Key Absences

Regarding player movements, Kerem Aktürkoğlu was transferred back to Turkey after a year, while Florentino and Gouveia made moves to Burnley and Nice, respectively. To strengthen their attacking prowess, the Eagles acquired Belgian forward Dodi Lukebakio from Sevilla. They also brought in Mykhailo Sudakov from Shakhtar Donetsk, a highly promising young midfielder.

Maintaining Momentum Amidst Injury Concerns

The team appears thoroughly prepared to sustain their excellent season, having conceded merely one goal so far and accumulating numerous victories, a momentum they are keen to uphold. For the upcoming fixture against Santa Clara, Benfica will unfortunately be without Ba, João Félix, Bruma, new signing Lukebakio, and Manu, all sidelined due to various injuries.

Santa Clara’s Challenging Return to the Primeira Liga

The team hailing from the Azores, Santa Clara, successfully secured their return to the Primeira Liga last year. However, the red-and-whites had previously made a surprising impact, qualifying for the Europa Conference League by finishing fifth in the championship. Replicating such an achievement after significant squad overhauls will undoubtedly be difficult, a challenge clearly reflected in their start to the current season.

Early Setbacks and a Crucial First Victory

Their season began with two consecutive defeats: a 0-3 loss against Famalicão and a 0-1 defeat to Moreirense. Simultaneously, their pivotal UEFA Europa Conference League qualification campaign also ended in disappointment, with a 0-0 draw followed by a 1-2 loss to Irish side Shamrock Rovers. Nonetheless, following these initial setbacks, the Azoreans managed to earn their first championship points with a 0-0 home draw against Estrela. During the international break, they played a postponed fixture against Estoril (as it didn’t involve national team players) away from home and finally celebrated their inaugural victory of the season. Gabriel Silva’s penalty, marking the team’s first goal in the Primeira Liga, was instrumental in rousing Vasco Matos’s side from their lethargy and securing a vital win. Despite this, the visitors still appear somewhat listless, struggling with their attacking output, although their defensive organization has remained relatively solid after the opening match, even amidst a demanding schedule.