It was not too long ago that Benfica visited the Estadio Axa to take on Braga for the Portuguese League, where the Lisbon side emerged victorious. This time around, the two sides will meet in a heated match which will decide one of the finalists in the Taca da Liga.
Jorge Jesus' side is coming off a confidence boosting victory at home against Pacos de Ferreira, who has been a pleasant surprise in the current campaign. Dealing with a Braga side at home will be a completely different test, with the hosts always putting in a solid performance against the Aguias.
Having been eliminated from the Taca de Portugal and European Football, Jose Peseiro's side is looking to the Taca da Liga as an opportunity to grab some sort of silverware.
For Braga to get one step closer to the title, they will need to eliminate Benfica, who has won the Taca da Liga four seasons in a row. Defending the title is clearly what Benfica will want, but in a tight race for the Portuguese League with Porto, Jorge Jesus will certainly opt to rotate some players.
"It will be complicated," Jorge Jesus told reporters.
"Is it less important than the Portuguese League? I'm not sure. It is a semi-final. Both Benfica and Braga want to be in the final. Our club has a culture and a need to always win titles. We are determined to win."
The Bracarenses drew against Benfica at the Estadio da Luz earlier in the season, but were unable to put together a last ditch comeback in their latest meeting. Knowing that his squad will be motivated for this match, Jose Peseiro promises that his side will not play with fear of the Lisbon giants.
"We are not scared of Benfica and we have already proven that," said Peseiro in his press conference.
"We played two matches and lost one, which was unjust. We believe that we can win and be in the final. We know we are going to meet a tough team, with high levels of confidence, but playing as we did in the previous two matches, starting off the match well, we have the capability to win the match."
Previous Matches In Braga
01-26-13 Braga 1-2 Benfica
11-06-11 Braga 1-1 Benfica
05-05-11 Braga 1-0 Benfica (Europa League)
03-06-11 Braga 2-1 Benfica
10-31-09 Braga 2-0 Benfica
05-17-09 Braga 1-3 Benfica
Prediction
Looking at the previous six matches between these two sides in Braga, Benfica has only managed to win two, while losing three and drawing once. The recent stats are clearly in favor of the home team, but from the 65 meetings between the two clubs in Braga, Benfica has the upper hand with 33 victories against Braga's 15.
Being the first time these two sides meet in the Taca da Liga, Braga will have pressure for playing at home and the fact that losing this match could result in another season without silverware. For Benfica, having won four in a row, the Aguias will be wanting to defend a title that has been their own for so long.
Whether or not Benfica will decide to rest players is unknown, but regardless of the squad Jorge Jesus decides to put out there, they will compete and they will know exactly what the match means to the club.
They will not only want to book their presence in the final once again, but another victory will give them continued confidence to finish off the tight league battle on a high. A loss at this stage of the season could cause serious problems for any team, so Braga will know that an early goal for them could really put Benfica on the edge.
The hosts always play Benfica well in Braga, and in some ways, it has become somewhat of a rivalry over the years. With Braga starting to establish themselves as a top team in Portugal, they have not only grown their fan base, but they have also represented themselves well on the pitch. Wednesday, they will want to make sure they are well represented in the final of the Taca da Liga with a victory over Benfica.
This match could realistically go either way, but given current form, the slight advantage has to go to Benfica. But, as we all know, in the wonderful sport of football, form does not always count, and anything can happen.
Braga will want to force Benfica wide, not allowing them to play quick passes down the middle of the pitch. On the offensive side of the ball, Braga will need to study their game plan in order to avoid Nemanja Matic, who has been in incredible form this season.
If Braga can push Benfica back early on and get a few chances, Jorge Jesus' side has shown that they can have mental lapses at times. The longer Braga can keep the ball, the harder it will be for Benfica to hurt them, but keeping it could be a problem.
Benfica tends to possess the ball very well, but Wednesday it could be an even split when it comes to having the ball. Keeping Lima, Cardozo or even Rodrigo in check is a must, while Benfica will need to watch out for players like Alan, Mossoro and Eder.
Braga 1-2 Benfica
