Lisbon-based Benfica can only look back to the past with regret. It’s been over two decades now since FC Porto have the upper hand over the Eagles. Let’s put O Classico’s numerous scandals aside and see why Friday’s hosts are favourites to dethrone their bitter rivals.
1) The Estadio da Luz Factor
It’s amazing to know that Benfica have won the totality of their home matches this season. The commenced their perfect run with a 3-1 victory over Feirense and followed it up with 2-1 and 4-1 wins to Guimaraes and Academica de Coimbra.
Benfica’s biggest triumph at the Estadio da Luz in this season’s Portuguese Liga Sagres was a 5-1 victory over Rio Ave. Remarkably, it was a comeback mission as Cardozo, Nolito, Saviola and Garay all inscribed their name on the score sheet to cancel out Christian Atsu’s opener midway in the first half.
Since that one-sided encounter on December 16 last year, the Eagles have gone in to score 11 goals in their 3 home games. Benfica’s Eagles should be fired up to celebrate their first ever game at the Estadio da Luz since February 11 with victory over foes Porto.
2) FC Porto have problems of their own
They say they are the Dragons of Porto but they seem to have much less fire in their belly. Porto’s weaknesses got totally exposed in the UEFA Europa League against Manchester City. They allowed themselves to fall 2-1 on home soil (where they remain unbeaten in the Portuguese Liga).
As if scoring an own-goal through Alvaro Pereira and conceding a late Aguero winner wasn’t wounding enough, Porto encountered further disappointment far away in England when they lost 4-0 in the return leg.
As simple statistics reveal, giants Porto have lost twice in their last 4 matches in all competitions. Could this inconsistency (from their bad luck in Europe) lead them to more troubles against Benfica
1) Revealing Statistics and Facts
| POS. | TEAM | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | D | P | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRIMEIRA LIGA 2011/2012 | ||||||||||
| 1 |  |
FC Porto | 20 | 15 | 4 | 1 | 47 | 13 | +34 | 49 |
| 2 |  |
Benfica | 20 | 15 | 4 | 1 | 47 | 16 | +31 | 49 |
Benfica and FC Porto’s last 4 meetings in all competitions:
February 2, 2011: FC Porto 0-2 Benfica (Taca de Portugal)
April 3, 2011: Benfica 1-2 FC Porto (Portuguese Liga Sagres)
April 20, 2011: Benfica 1-3 FC Porto (Taca de Portugal)
September 23, 2011: FC Porto 2-2 Benfica (Portuguese Liga Sagres)
Benfica vs FC Porto on March 2, 2011
What have Benfica learned from their hard-fought 2-2 draw at the Estadio do Dragao in the first leg of this fixture?
Friday night’s Classico in the Portuguese Liga Sagres holds so much significance. Porto and Benfica are both on 49 points but the Dragons lead on goal difference. For the first time in a very long time, the Eagles could occupy the league table ahead of the Dragons…
