- SL Benfica have won six, drawn two and lost two of their last ten matches in all competitions.
- Académico Viseu are unbeaten in five, winning one and drawing four of their last five matches in all competitions.
- Benfica have scored an average of 3.17 goals per match on their home ground in all competitions this season, scoring 19 goals in total in six home matches.
Benfica are the class of the class
SL Benfica are an overwhelming 1.12 to beat Académico Viseu in the Primeira Liga this weekend and although there could be an upset, the hosts should have far too much for their guests on Sunday. The hosts have won four, drawn one and lost one of their six home games in all competitions this term, scoring 19.
The visitors will be right up for this fixture, given that they are back in the top flight of Portuguese football for the first time in 37 years, but Benfica are coming off two successive wins, following emphatic 5-1 and 5-0 victories at home in all competitions.
Marco Silva's team are playing a fluid, possession-based 4-2-3-1/4-3-3 system that can play with width and tempo as well as pinpoint verticality. They have the strength in depth to play with aggression in their pressing game, while they have the clinical Vangelis Pavlidis to finish off their attacks - six of their 14 goals in the last five matches have been scored by the Australian in the last five games in all competitions.
Visitors can be dangerous on the counter
Visitors Viseu have been a solid rather than spectacular outfit since returning to the top-flight, winning four, drawing four and losing two of their 10 matches in all competitions. Their away record is a decent two wins, two draws and one loss in five trips away from home in all competitions, but they will face a much tougher prospect in Benfica than any other team they have faced this term.
Bruno Pinheiro sets up his side to be compact and pragmatic, keeping their block disciplined and selecting their spots on the break to counterattack. This should be a interesting game of control versus counter, as Benfica's width and pace should stretch Viseu out of their shape, but the visitors will look to hold things tight and punish the home side if they get the ball in transition.
Benfica should win, but Viseu can make a game of it
The draw looks a big price at 7.9. Benfica are on a two-match winning run and are playing their best football of the season behind closed doors, so I'm siding with them for the win here. However, Viseu are capable of making a game of it as they have scored ten goals in their five away games in all competitions this year, so I'll chance under 2.5 goals at 2.75 in this match as Benfica will control the game, but the away side will be able to keep it cagey for periods of the game.
