Gil Vicente vs Benfica – News and Probable Lineups

Benfica aims to secure their fourth consecutive Primeira Liga win as they visit Barcelos to face Gil Vicente in the final match of Matchday 24 this Monday evening.

The Eagles arrive following a 2–1 loss to Real Madrid, a defeat that saw them exit the Champions League playoff round with a 3–1 aggregate result.

Match overview

Rafa Silva scored early at the Santiago Bernabeu, but Benfica quickly saw their lead vanish as Aurelien Tchouameni equalized within two minutes, followed by Vinicius Junior scoring after halftime to hand Madrid yet another victory in this matchup.

With their exit from all cup competitions, which includes defeats in the Taca da Liga and Taca de Portugal during consecutive matches in January, Benfica’s focus now shifts entirely to the league, representing their sole opportunity for silverware this season.

Currently, Benfica ranks third in the Primeira Liga, trailing 10 points behind leaders Porto and six points behind second-placed Sporting Lisbon, who both achieved victories in their Matchday 24 matches on Friday.

Jose Mourinho’s squad will look to respond positively, having secured wins in their last three league games, including a 3–0 triumph against last-placed AVS last weekend, thanks to first-half goals from Alexander Bah, Enzo Barrenechea, and Silva.

As the only team in the top flight yet to face defeat this season, with a record of 16 wins and seven draws from 23 matches, the Eagles maintain an impressive unbeaten streak of 38 league games (W27, D11) going back to their loss against Casa Pia in Matchday 19 of the previous season.

Looking for a fourth straight league victory for the first time since an eight-match winning streak from February 2 to April 6 last year, Benfica can find confidence in their recent 3–0 victory during their last trip to Gil Vicente.

After suffering a 2–1 defeat in the earlier matchup this season, Gil Vicente has now lost their last seven encounters with Benfica, conceding at least twice in each of those contests.

However, Gil Vicente enters this match following a 3–1 setback against Estoril Praia last weekend, where an early penalty from Murilo de Souza was short-lived, as they lost their lead within seven minutes and saw Yanis Begraoui score twice in the second half.

This result ended the Roosters’ three-match winning streak, which included wins over fellow Minho sides Famalicao (5–0), Moreirense, and Braga (2–1), momentarily lifting them to fourth place.

The defeat last weekend relegated them back to fifth position, only two points away from the top four, but Gil Vicente remains hopeful, having claimed victory in their last three home games and staying unbeaten in five at home (W3, D2).

Team News

Gil Vicente is concerned about the fitness of winger Joelson Fernandes, who was substituted in the second half during last weekend’s defeat at Estoril.

Another forward, Tidjany Toure, is also a doubt having missed the last two matches due to a minor fitness issue, while midfielder Muhamed Bamba is set to miss a fifth successive match.

Defensively, Jonathan Mutombo is still unavailable and is likely to miss his seventh consecutive game as he continues to recover from injury.

On the other hand, Benfica has seen a reduction in injuries in recent weeks, with several players returning to the lineup, but midfielder Joao Veloso continues to deal with a shoulder issue, and winger Bruma might miss a third consecutive match.

Having served one-match suspensions in both continental and domestic competitions — the latter due to accumulating too many bookings — Gianluca Prestianni will be available for selection once more.

Currently having scored 20 league goals and trailing Sporting’s Luis Suarez by just two, who scored twice on Friday, Vangelis Pavlidis will be keen to make an impact as the race for the Golden Boot intensifies.

Gil Vicente probable starting XI:

Lucao; Ze Carlos, Buatu, Elimbi, Konan; Ze Carlos, Esteves; De Souza, Garcia, Fernandes; Edward

Benfica probable starting XI:

Trubin; Dedic, Araujo, Otamendi, Dahl; Rios, Barreiro; Prestianni, R Silva, Schjelderup; Pavlidis

Despite Benfica’s impressive performance in the Primeira Liga, their away record has been inconsistent, swinging between a draw and a win in their last four league matches on the road; Mourinho’s side has also only managed two victories across their past seven away games in all competitions (D2, L3).

Gil Vicente’s recent strong form at home presents an additional challenge for the visitors, but considering Benfica’s overall quality and historic dominance in this fixture, they should have sufficient ability to secure victory in a closely fought encounter.