The Taca da Liga match between Benfica and AVS will take place at Estadio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica on Friday at 1:45 am IST.
Benfica hosts second-division AVS at the Estadio da Luz for the last Taca da Liga group stage match on Thursday. Benfica stands as clear favorites to advance, with only a two-goal or more victory for AVS allowing them to surpass Benfica for the top spot.
Benfica’s coach, Roger Schmidt, enters a crucial week with boosted morale following unexpected victories. Defying odds, Benfica surpassed Red Bull Salzburg in the Champions League, notably with a 3-1 win in Austria where Arthur Cabral’s late goal sealed their Europa League spot. Additionally, a hard-fought 1-0 win against Braga briefly elevated them to the Primeira Liga’s top spot. Although currently trailing Sporting by a point as Christmas approaches, Benfica aims to reclaim the lead against Famalicao. While their Taca da Liga advancement seems likely after defeating Arouca 2-0, Schmidt remains vigilant, recalling past eliminations at this stage. He’s determined to avoid any setbacks in the upcoming crucial match.
Between 2008 and 2016, Benfica dominated the competition, winning it seven out of eight times. However, they haven’t claimed the title since their 2022 finals appearance. Their potential hurdle to the knockout stage is AVS, Portugal’s youngest professional club. Established earlier this year after CD Aves’ bankruptcy, AVS stepped in to replace Vilafranquense in the second tier. Despite recent successes, including three consecutive wins placing them a point behind league leaders Santa Clara, they face a challenging task. Following a 2-1 loss to Arouca, AVS needs a two-goal victory to advance. Additionally, their cup run had a setback with a surprising defeat to Dumiense in the Taca de Portugal this season.
Benfica probable starting lineup: Samuel Soares, Aursnes, Antonio Silva, Tomas Araujo, Jurasek, Chiquinho, Joao Neves, Florentino Luis, Tengstedt, Arthur Cabral, Goncalo Guedes
AVS probable starting lineup: Simao, Fonseca, Ricardo Dias, Thiago Freitas, Ze Ricardo, Joao Amorim, Fabio Pacheco, Gustavo Mendonca, Edson Farias, Sangare, Carlos Daniel
Benfica
| Opponents | Score |
|---|---|
| Braga | 1-0 (W) |
| Salzburg | 3-1 (W) |
| SC Farense | 1-1 (D) |
| Moreirense | 0-0 (D) |
| Inter | 3-3 (D) |
AVS
| Opponents | Score |
|---|---|
| Pacos Ferreira | 2-0 (W) |
| FC Porto B | 3-2 (W) |
| Benfica B | 1-0 (W) |
| Nacional | 0-1 (L) |
| Santa Clara | 1-2 (L) |
The upcoming match between these two clubs is going to be their first head to head match.
The Taca da Liga match between Benfica and AVS will take place at Estadio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica on Friday at 1:45 am IST.
| Benfica vs AVS | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Date | December 22 |
| Venue | Estadio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica |
| Kickoff time in Portugal | 8:15 pm (Thursday) |
| Kickoff time in India | 1:45 am (Friday) |
Football fans in Portugal can catch the live action via Sport TV Multiscreen, Sport TV1.
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