The final match of gameweek 30 in the Primeira Liga will take place at Estadio de Sao Luis, where SC Farense will play host the defending league champions Benfica.
Farense are currently on 31 points after 29 games and are in 10th place in the league standings, while the visitors are second and seven points behind league leaders Sporting.
Match preview
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While Farense have done well upon their return to the top flight, they still have work to do to secure their survival with just four points seperating them from Portimonense, who currently occupy the relegation playoff spot.
The Lions of Faro head into this match following a 1-1 away draw to Vitoria de Guimaraes, where they were just moments away from taking all three points. Bruno Duarte gave them the lead inside the first 10 minutes of the match, but Jorge Fernandes's injury-time goal saw Farense forced to settle for a point.
That result followed a 2-0 win over Boavista a week earlier, and if Jose Mota's side manage to take anything from this match, it would be the first time this season they have gone three consecutive league games without defeat.
A 1-1 draw at Estadio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica (da Luz) back in December will give the hosts confidence heading into this match, though they have not beaten the Eagles in their last three attempts dating back to October 2020.
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Meanwhile, Benfica will enter this contest looking to put their Europa League disappointment behind them and need a result here to keep the pressure on Sporting heading into the final stretch of the season.
In midweek, the Eagles saw their European journey for this season come to an end at the hands of Ligue 1 outfit Marseille, who came from a goal down to force a penalty shootout, which they went on to win 4-2.
Angel Di Maria, who scored the winner in the first leg of the tie, missed the first spot kick of the shootout before goalkeeper Pau Lopez saved Antonio Silva's effort to hand the Phocaeans the win with all their penalty takers finding the target with their attempts.
Nevertheless, the Eagles will now return to league competition, where they have been in very good form, having won four of their last five games, with their only defeat in that time coming against Os Leoes.
With five games to go in the season and seven points to make up to Sporting, Roger Schmidt's side cannot afford any dropped points from here on, though their recent away record has not been the greatest, with just one win posted from their last four outings (W1 D1 L2).
Team News
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Farense will have to make do without the services of their top scorer Bruno Duarte, who was shown his fifth yellow card of the season against Vitoria last week and will serve his one-match suspension here.
Duarte will be joined on the sidelines by Mattheus Oliveira, who is also suspended due to an accumulation of yellows, as well as Luiz Felipe, who is ruled out until next month with a tendon injury.
The visitors will also be missing a couple of key players, with Juan Bernat still struggling with a knock and flagged as a major doubt, while Tomas Araujo is sidelined with an ankle injury.
With the short turnaround from midweek, Schmidt may consider shuffling his pack here, which could see the likes of Felipe Morato, Arthur Cabral and Alvaro Carreras return to the starting 11.
SC Farense possible starting lineup:
Velho; Pastor, Silva, Rossi, Talys; Falcao, Barbosa, Caseres, Matias; Belloumi, Balde
Benfica possible starting lineup:
Soares; Bah, Silva, Morato, Carreras; Mario, Neves; Campos, Silva, Di Maria; Cabral
We say: SC Farense 1-2 Benfica
With five games left in the league season, Benfica have to put their European disappointment behind them and need a positive result here to keep their league hopes alive. While Farense have proven difficult to beat on their home patch this season, we feel the Eagles will be able to grind out a result in this one.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Devesh Jaganath
