Our prediction for this Portugal Primeira Liga match:
Benfica
Match Time & Date:
17/08/2024
21:30
Prediction: 2-0
Casa Pia
Benfica will be aiming to bounce back from a shocking 2-0 loss to Famalicao when they take on Casa Pia on Matchday 2. The Eagles should not drop any more points in the opening games of the season and we are positive that they will go all guns blazing at Casa Pia. Angel Di Maria should be recalled to the starting XI after coming as a substitute against Famalicao, with Turkey midfielder Orkun Kokcu pushing for a start as well.
Os Gansos, on the other hand, failed to impress in a 1-0 defeat to Boavista at the weekend and seeing that Benfica do not suit them, anything but a routine home win would be a big surprise. Both Brito and Mendes are out of contention with injuries for the visiting team, whereas Spanish defender Gaizka Larrazabal should sneak into the starting XI.
Highlighted Player (Angel di Maria):
Angel Di Maria is a professional footballer who played for Argentine side Rosario Central at the start of his senior career. The left-footed winger is very quick on the ball and he often makes life difficult for opposition defenders. After playing for Benfica between 2007 and 2010, the Argentine superstar signed for Real Madrid on 28 June, 2010 for a fee of €25 million + €11 million in bonuses.
Despite impressing with los Blancos in the 2013/2014 La Liga campaign, the club chiefs decided to sell him to Manchester United on 26 August, 2014. Di Maria was playing below expectations at Old Trafford and he scored three goals in 27 league games for the Red Devils.
In 2015 he moved to Paris Saint-Germain and he scored 10 goals in 29 league appearances for les Parisiens in the 2015/2016 Ligue 1 campaign. In 2014 he won the Champions League trophy with Real Madrid and that is considered the biggest success of his career. Angel Di Maria was born in Rosario on 14 February, 1988.
Highlighted Team (Benfica):
Member of the ‘Big Three’ clubs in Portugal alongside FC Porto and CP Sporting, Sport Lisboa e Benfica are the football club that has never been relegated from the Primeira Liga. The club is nicknamed Aguias because of the Eagle symbol atop the club’s crest. Benfica play their home games at the Estadio da Luz which replaced the original one in 2003 and which boasts the capacity of more than 64,000. Arguably the most successful club in Portugal, Benfica have won a record of 35 Primeira Liga titles and also a record 25 Taca de Liga and 7 Taca da Liga trophies.
Two-time European Cup winners, Benfica are the club known for their diligent work with youth players, many of which went on to make great careers abroad. The most prominent players to wear a Benfica shirt are legendary Eusebio, Manuel Bento, Jorge Tavares and most recently Javier Saviola, Nuno Gomes, David Luiz and Angel Di Maria.
