Our prediction for this Taca de Portugal match:
Benfica
Match Time & Date:
26/02/2025
21:45
Prediction: 2-1
Braga
All eyes will be on Estadio da Luz when Benfica and Braga lock horns in the Taca de Portugal quarter-finals. The Eagles faced no difficulties in a 3-0 Primeira Liga win at the weekend, but they will have a much bigger fish to fry in Wednesday’s clash. Greek forward Vangelis Pavlidis is widely expected to return to the starting XI, while midfielder Leandro Barreiro is back from suspension. Angel Di Maria should recover in time to face Braga.
The Reds, on the other hand, defeated Nacional 1-0 on Matchday 23, with Gorby scoring the only goal of the match. Braga, though, have suffered five defeats in the previous six defeats to Benfica in Lisbon, which is probably the main reason why home win should be considered. There are no fresh injury worries in the away team ahead of the trip to the Portuguese capital, but all Niakate, Zalazar, Navarro, and Vitor Carvalho remain in the recovery room.
Highlighted Player (Ricardo Horta):
Ricardo Horta is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for Sporting Braga in Primeira Liga. Born in Sobreda, Portugal, on September 15, 1994, Ricardo Horta spent his youth career at Ginasio Corroios, Benfica, and Vitoria Setubal.
The 173-cm-tall winger continued playing for Setubal at the senior level, but he moved to Malaga in the summer of 2014, signing a five-year deal with the La Liga outfit. Ricardo Horta scored only one goal in 48 appearances for los Boquerones in the Spanish top flight before signing a loan deal with Braga. In July 2017, he signed a permanent contract with the Minhotos.
Ricardo Horta made his Primeira Liga debut against Rio Ave back in April 2013, during his spell with Vitoria Setubal. His primary position is left winger, but he is capable of producing good performances as a right winger as well. He made his Portugal debut in a 1-0 loss to Albania in the Euro 2016 qualifiers.
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.
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