The Eagles and the Dragons clash at the Cândido de Oliveira Super Cup! It’s time to check our Portuguese Super Cup odds series, starring our Benfica-Porto prediction, pick, and how to watch guide!
The Eagles secured their 38th Primeira Liga championship title, marking their first triumph since the 2018-2019 season. In addition to this feat, Os Encarnados progressed to the group stage of the Taça da Liga and made it as far as the quarterfinals in both the Taça de Portugal and the UEFA Champions League.
The Dragons secured the second position in Liga Portugal Betclic, yet they claimed victory in the previous season's Taça de Portugal, Taça da Liga, and Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira. The Azuis e Brancos also advanced to the Round of 16 in the Champions League.
Here are the Benfica-Porto soccer odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
La Liga Odds: Benfica-Porto Odds
SL Benfica: +140
FC Porto: +185
Draw: +210
Over 2.5 Goals: -102
Under 2.5 Goals: -136
How to Watch Benfica vs. Porto
TV: RTPi, RTP África, RTP Play, RTP 1,
Stream: fuboTV
Time: 3:45 PM ET / 12:45 PM PT
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Why Benfica Can Beat Porto
With a predominantly healthy squad and a reinvigorated lineup, Benfica's manager, Roger Schmidt, is poised to field the strongest starting lineup possible as they step into the Supertaça battle at Estádio Municipal de Aveiro. Having clinched the league title last season and making substantial progress in other tournaments, Benfica's recent successes set the stage for this clash.
Benfica's pre-season preparations, which commenced on July 5, have yielded positive outcomes. They secured victories in friendly matches against Southampton (0-2) and Basel (1-3) and emerged victorious in the Algarve Cup, triumphing over Al Nassr (1-4) and Celta Vigo (2-0). However, the team faced setbacks, suffering a 2-0 defeat against Burnley and more recently a 2-1 loss to Feyenoord. Feyenoord's win was secured through first-half goals from Brazilian forward Igor Paixao and Mexican striker Santiago Gimenez, while Benfica's Croatian forward Petar Musa managed to find the net.
Heading into the new season, Benfica encountered key departures that shifted the dynamics of the team. Argentine midfielder Enzo Fernandez left in January, while star striker Gonçalo Ramos, celebrated for his standout performance in the World Cup in Qatar, recently made a move to Paris Saint-Germain. Additionally, Spanish left-back Alex Grimaldo transferred to Bayer Leverkusen. The challenge lies in replacing the goal-scoring prowess of Ramos, who netted an impressive 19 goals in the previous league season.
Croatian striker Peter Musa is now likely to take on the role of the main forward. Musa made significant contributions with nine goals in just two league starts for Benfica in the prior season. Norwegian midfielder Fredrik Aursnes also played a notable role with six goal contributions in 24 league starts. Benfica's acquisitions include Turkish midfielder Orkun Kokcu, acquired for €25 million, Czech left-back David Jurasek, obtained for €14 million, and veteran winger Angel Di Maria, who joined on a free transfer. Furthermore, Arthur Cabral from Fiorentina adds depth to the striking options. Additional transfers might occur before the transfer window closes, with potential moves for Antonio Silva and Florentino Luis.
In official matches, Benfica remains unbeaten across seven games. The previous season concluded with a resounding 3-0 victory in the Primeira Liga against Santa Clara. During that match, Benfica held 66% possession, registered 11 attempts at goal with 4 on target, and saw goals from Gonçalo Ramos (7′), Rafa Silva (28′), and Álex Grimaldo (60′).
With nearly the entire squad available for selection, Schmidt faces only a single fitness concern, with André Gomes nursing a shoulder injury. Anticipate another standout performance from last season's star players, including Odysseas Vlachodimos, who secured 21 clean sheets, João Mário with 17 goals, and David Neres with nine assists.
Why Porto Can Beat Benfica
During the final round of the Portuguese League, the team found themselves trailing Benfica by a mere two points, ultimately failing to retain the title. However, they secured victory in the national cup for the second consecutive time, triumphing over Braga (2-0) in the finals. Unlike their counterparts, the Dragons refrained from making any high-profile signings.
It's worth noting that Sergio Conceição's squad isn't in peak condition either. The Azuis e Bbrancos commenced the season on a positive note, securing wins against Portimonense (0-2) and Cardiff City (4-0). Subsequently, they experienced a three-game winless streak, suffering a defeat against Wolverhampton (0-1) and sharing draws with Estrela (3-3) and Rayo Vallecano (1-1). In their most recent encounter with the Spanish team, English forward Danny Namaso's goal for Porto was matched by a strike from forward Alvaro Garcia.
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In the 41 previous head-to-head clashes between these two teams, Porto emerged victorious in 21 matches, suffered 11 defeats, and settled for nine draws. The Super Cup final sets the stage for a closely contested battle between Porto and Benfica, with the balance of their recent performances contributing to the anticipation of an exhilarating match.
The summer transfer window welcomed additions to the Dragons, including Nico Gonzalez and Fran Navarro, who were both acquired for a combined fee of €15 million. Brazilian winger Galeno remains a part of the squad, having contributed 11 goals in 20 league starts for Porto in the previous season.
All eyes are on Mehdi Taremi, who boasted an impressive 29 goal contributions in 31 league starts for Porto in the previous season. The Iranian international stands as one of Portugal's finest strikers and has been linked with potential moves to clubs like Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United. Central midfielder Mateus Uribe is no longer in the team's roster, and Diogo Leite has transferred to Union Berlin for €7.50 million.
Sérgio Conceição, Porto's manager, faces the challenge of assembling a lineup with limited availability. Gabriel Veron (abductor muscle tear) and João Mário (undisclosed injury) will be sidelined for this match.
Last season's standout performers are expected to make an impact once again. This includes Brazilian winger Pepê (four goals, seven assists), Otavio (five goals, seven assists), Evanilson (seven goals), Toni Martinez (five goals), Diogo Costa (16 clean sheets), Stephen Eustáquio (September's midfielder of the month), and Portuguese center-back Pepe (April's Defender of the Month).
Final Benfica-Porto Prediction & Pick
It will be a hard prediction and pick for the Benfica-Porto match. However, Benfica's recent roster changes may see them struggle against their Portuguese rivals. Porto is keen to add more trophies to their cabinet, and they are on the way to get a win here to start the 2023-2024 season.
Final Benfica-Porto Prediction & Pick: Porto (+185), Under 2.5 goals (-136)