Our prediction for this Portugal Primeira Liga match:
Famalicao
Match Time & Date:
11/08/2024
19:00
Prediction: 1-2
Benfica
Benfica take on Famalicao on the road in the opening match of their Primeira Liga campaign. The Eagles finished the last domestic season in second place in the standings, eight points behind their bitter local rivals Sporting CP and, no doubt, they are eager to regain the trophy. Summer signing Alvaro Carreras should play some part in Sunday’s clash, while talented midfielder Joao Neves is no longer part of the team after signing a €59.90 million deal with PSG.
Angel Di Maria is currently without club. Armando Evangelista’s men, on the other hand, are determined to claim a major scalp in their opener, but we do not believe that they are capable of repeating the last season’s success when they shocked Benfica on home soil. A man to watch in the home team will be summer recruit Rochina, who is expected to make his official Famalicao debut this weekend.
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 (Famalicao):
Founded on August 21, 1931, Famalicao are a Portuguese football club that compete in the Primeira Liga. The colour of their home kit is white, with the team wearing blue shirts and blue shorts when playing on the travels.
Famalicao welcome their rivals at Estadio Municipal 22 de Junho Vila Nova de Famalicao, the venue with the capacity of 5,307 people. The stadium was opened in 1952 and ever since has been serving as the team’s home ground. Famalicao are owned by Quantum Pacific Group, the company which has a 32% share of famous La Liga side Atletico Madrid as well.
The Azuis e Brancos secured promotion to Primeira Liga for the first time in the 1946/1947 season and they returned to the Portuguese elite division in 2019. Famalicao recorded a 2-0 win over Santa Clara on their return to the Portuguese top flight, with Toni Martinez and Anderson finding the net for the visitors.
