It was not to long ago that Benfica took on Academica for the Portuguese Cup, and the Lisbon side emerged victorious with a convincing 0-4 victory. The last time these two sides met at the Estadio da Luz, Academica handed Benfica a scare after taking the lead, but Jorge Jesus' side was able to overcome the deficit.
Coming off an important victory against Bayer Leverkusen on Thursday, the Benfica faithful will be ready to see another convincing match from their team on Sunday.
Jorge Jesus spoke about the match on Sunday and when questioned about Porto having already played, the Portuguese manager quickly brushed aside any pressure.
"Their is no pressure or anxiety for the managers, nor the players of Benfica because Porto played first. We are used to a daily pressure because we are expected to always win," Jesus told reporters.
"For us, it is exactly the same if our rival plays before or after us."
Having played against Academica on three occasions already this season, Jorge Jesus is very familiar with his opponent.
"Academica is an opponent with a very organized defensive approach. We must also not forget that Benfica has been very good against Academica this season. For tomorrow, I hope the team keeps its confidence."
Pedro Emanuel's side does not have the greatest of memories going up against Benfica. Having lost two of their three meetings this season, one would think that Academica should have a better idea of how to stop the Aguias.
"Academica's mission will be difficult, regardless of the result Benfica got last weekend. We need to stay organized, so that we can take advantage of the few mistakes Benfica will make," said the former Porto defender.
Could the fourth meeting between both these sides finally fall in favor of Academica? Pedro Emanuel believes every match is different.
"They were different competitions, with different players, therefore, things were different. We fight hard to earn points every match. We know of Benfica's quality and playing at the Estadio da Luz is always added motivation. But, regardless of the amount of goals they score or how well they play, we have every right to dream."
Previous Matches
01-17-13 Academica 0-4 Benfica (Portuguese Cup)
01-09-13 Benfica 3-2 Academica (League Cup)
09-23-12 Academica 2-2 Benfica
02-25-12 Academica 0-0 Benfica
09-18-11 Benfica 4-1 Academica
01-16-11 Academica 0-1 Benfica
Prediction
With Porto's victory over Beira Mar on Friday, Benfica is under pressure to grab the full three points on Sunday. They will have to do it without Nemanja Matic and Oscar Cardozo who were both sent off in Benfica's last match against Nacional.
Academica's relegation battle also adds some pressure to them as they are in need of points. With just five points separating them from the relegation zone, Pedro Emanuel's side can at least be proud of the fact that they are one of the few teams who took points from Benfica this season.
Playing at the Estadio da Luz against Benfica could prove to be too much. With just four victories in the current campaign, three of those were won at home for Academica. The one victory away from Coimbra was against Maritimo at the Estadio dos Barreiros.
The last time Academica defeated Benfica at the Estadio da Luz was during the 2010/11 campaign. An opening day match against the Briosa ended in a 1-2 victory for the visitors, with a stoppage time goal from Laionel.
Without Matic, Benfica's midfield will have to work twice as hard. Andre Almeida will most likely get the start in the middle, giving the youngster some more experience and responsibility within the team.
Having to help call the shots in the center of the pitch will be something that could give Almeida some significant experience and confidence going forward.
Also, with the absence of Oscar Cardozo, Rodrigo and Lima will get another chance to take care of the goal scoring for Benfica. In their last match in Coimbra for the Portuguese Cup, Lima enjoyed two goals as the Aguias cruised to a 0-4 victory.
Knowing that regardless of their form, Academica can cause them issues, Benfica will need to make sure they do not get complacent in order to avoid an upset. Needing to secure three points will be added pressure and the Benfica players will need to make sure they do not let that affect their game plan.
Their 0-1 victory over Leverkusen mid-week should give them that extra bit of confidence to see off an Academica side that is struggling to find consistency this season.
Benfica 3-0 Academica
