Sport Lisboa e Benfica v Sporting CP

Sport Lisboa e Benfica v Sporting CP
Sunday December 27th, 2026
Estádio da Luz
Matchday 16

The Warm up To

Follow

Outgoing

Orkun Kökçü - Beşiktaş £25m
Sidny Lopes Cabral - Trabzonspor £5.8m
Nicolás Otamendi - River Plate Free (out of contract)
Florentino - Burnley £20m
Gonçalo Oliveira - Rennes £2.9m
Gustavo Marques - Red Bull Bragantigo £3m
Rodrigo Rêgo - Brighton £3m
Diogo Prioste - Gil Vicente (Loan)
João Veloso - Moreirense (Loan)
Henrique Araújo - Casa Pia £1.1m
Gustavo Varela - Monza £2.2m
Antonio Silva - Bournemouth £22m
Franjo Ivanovic - Lens (Loan)
Rafael Obrador - Sassuolo (Loan)
Amar Dedic - Newcastle £31m
Tiago Gouveia - Gençlerbirliği S.K. (Loan)
João Rego - Casa Pia (Loan)
Richard Ríos - Al-Ittihad £3.4m
Alves Lopes Gustavo Ferreira - Famalicão (Free)
Joshua Wynder - New England (Free)
Bruma - Aris Thessaloniki (Free)

Incoming

Clément Lenglet - Atletico Madrid Loan
Enzo Barrenechea - Aston Villa £10m
Jhon Durán - Al Nassr (Loan)
Gabriel Índio - Athletic Club £3.4m
Jakub Kaminski - Köln €17m
Georgiy Sudakov - Shakhtar Donetsk €20m
Alessandro Circati - Parma €18m
Anisse Saidi - San Diego (Loan)
João Palhina - Bayern München £12m
Souffian El Karouani - Al-Qadsiah (Loan)
Claudio Echeverri - Manchester City (Loan)

Benfica 2026/27 season to date 

FC St Gallen 1879 2 Benfica 1
Europa League Second Qualifying Round First Leg

An Aliou Baldé goal on 36 gave the Swiss side the lead in their two leg Europa League qualification tie. Rafa Silva equalised two minutes before half time as the sides went in level at the break. Tom Gaal scored on 79 minutes to put the Swiss back in the lead. 2-1 the final score ahead of the return leg in Lisboa.

Benfica 5 FC St Gallen 1879 0 (6-2)
Europa League Second Qualifying Round Second Leg

Despite coming into the second leg one goal to the good on aggregate the Swiss side were routed. Greek forward Vangelis Pavlidis opened his account for the night after 10 minutes and then couldn't stop scoring. 2-0 on 54', 3-0 on '64 and 4-0 on 73' when he converted a penalty. New signing Clément Lenglet made it 5-0 9 minutes before the end of the 90. To compound the visitor's misery Jozo Stanić had been given his marching orders on 56' by which time they were already 4-2 down on aggregate. Benfica progressed to face Heart of Midlothian who dropped down from the Champions League Qualifiers.

Benfica 6 Heart of Midlothian 1
Europa League Third Qualifying Round First Leg

It took just 2 minutes for Rafa Silva to give the Eagles the lead. Tomás Araújo made it 2-0 on '22 and Vangelis Pavlidis scored his fifth goal of the season from the penalty spot 4 minutes before half time to give the Portuguese a 3-0 lead at half time. Things didn't get any better for the Scottish Premiership side after the break. Gianluca Prestianni made it 4-0 on 58'. Tom Renaud at least gave visiting fans something to cheer about when he scored on '71. However new loan signing Jhon Durán made it 5-1 with 4 minutes remaining and to really compound the Scots misery, Andreas Schjelderup scored from the penalty spot on 90+3 to take a 6-1 lead into the second leg in a weeks time.

Matchday 1 - Academico Viseu (H) 2-2

The former lions mister Marco Silva took charge of his first league game in Portugal, since he was dismissed by Bruno de Carvalho, citing just cause in a 400 page document. He failed to make the lions title winners, how will he fare with being mister of the largest team in all of Portugal? We'll find out in May. They began against newly promoted Viseu. Remember they went undefeated in the Liga last time out.

Just 8 minutes gone when a long ball over the defence was chested down by Pavlidis and then struck first time from 18 yards into the bottom right hand corner to make it 1-0. At that point Viseu must have been fearing the worse. However that proved to be the only goal of the half. On 54' Pereira flicked home a corner from the near side from 3 yards which left keeper Samuel Soares flat footed. Game on at 1-1. Prestianni was allowed to run unmarked from the left wing onto the area and he nonchalantly swept home into the bottom right hand corner from 16 yards to restore the Eagles lead just 3 minutes later. Poor marking allowed Clovis to sweep home a cross from the right wing from 8 yards out to make it 2-2. Despite nearly 30 attempts the home side couldn't find a third and the points were shared. Fortunately for the home side there was no one their to see it. An empty stadium made it feel like Covid all over again. 

Xg 3.11 - 1.18
Total attempts 28 - 8
Shots on target 11 - 4
Big chances 3 - 2
Big chances missed 3 - 1

Heart of Midlothian 1 Benfica 1

Europa League Third Qualifying Round Second Leg

The Edinburgh side came away with a modicum of self respect as they held the eagles to a 1-1 draw at Tynecastle. Tómas Magnússon gave the Jam Tarts the lead on 76 only to see Dodi Lukébaio cancel the lead two minutes later. The neighbours progressed to the next round by the odd goal in five winning 7-2 on aggregate.

Matchday 2 - Casa Pia (A) 0-7 W

A disastrous start for the geese just two minutes in. Prestianni struck a 20 yards shot towards the right of goal but it went straight at the defender Sousa who rather inexplicably tried to guide the ball out of play but instead sent the trajectory of the ball towards the other corner however André Gomes had committed to the original flight of the shot and could only turn to watch it enter his net for 1-0. His night would get far worse in fairness to him.  

On 13’ (unlucky for some) Pavlidis set Rafa Silva free between two defenders which left him one on one with Gomes. His clipped shot from 7 yards saw Gomes spread himself low and wide to try stop the effort but in the end the ball flicked off his head and into the net for a second deflected goal. A minute later Gabi Pereira was left pounding the grass in frustration as he saw his effort sliding effort strike the left hand post from 8 yards out and go behind for a goal kick.

One piece of good news for the Geese - they went in at half time only 2-0 down. Straight after the break the geese totally capitulated. 1 minute 30 seconds on the clock Pavlidis as he fired his shot from 8 yards into the turf and it bounced over the onrushing Gomes to make it 3-0. Pérez with an inadvertent assist as the pass clipped off his heel and into the path of the Greek. Three goals, three deflections in one form or another leading to goals. They knew it wasn't going to be their night. Four minutes gone and the Greek twisted and turned his way into the box amongst a sea of black shirts and scored from roughly the penalty spot to make it 4-0. The Greek then completed his hat-trick in the space of 7 second half minutes when he turned in a cross from the right with one touch from 7 yards. 5-0. On 58' Dahl's attempted cutback deflects off Ofori and somehow from the narrowest and tightest of angles smuggles past Gomes at his near post to make it 6-0. At least any Famalicão defenders watching on would have felt better after the manner of the two goals they gave away on Matchday 2. Durán with probably the goal of the night on the hour mark made it 6-0 as he volleyed home into the bottom left hand corner for 7. No more goals but the night did get worse for the Geese and the Angolan Khaly in particular when he picked up his second booking a minute past the 90 for an accidental hand into the face of Prestianni who rather unsurprisingly did him like an absolute kipper clutching his face. The look of bemusement as everyone's favourite Portuguese referee João Pinheiro couldn't get his cards out quick enough. The Geese now sit bottom with Rio Ave leapfrogging them on GD.

xG 0.12 - 3.04
Total Attempts 3 - 20
Shots on target 0 - 8
Big Chances 1 - 5
Big Chances Missed 1 - 1

Benfica 3 AGF 1
Europa League Qualification Final First Leg 

It took just a minute for the Eagles to open the scoring through Rafa Silva. Barreiro doubled their advantage on the half hour. Jørgensen pulled a goal back for the Danes on 35. A Pavlidis penalty a minute after the 45 made it 3-1. AGF with a massive job on their hands to turn around the second leg. 

AGF 1 Benfica 3 (2-6)
Europa League Qualification Final Second Leg

The Eagles were able to take advantage of not playing over the weekend to secure qualification proper for the league phase of the Europa League. They took the lead with 18 minutes played through Gianluca Prestianni. Rafa Silva made it 2-0 on 55 to put them 5-1 up on aggregate. Carstensen made it 2-1 on the night four minutes later but within a minute Prestianni scored again to make it 3-1. 

xG 0.28 - 1.75
Total Attempts 8 - 15
Shots on target 3 - 8
Big Chances 0 - 2
Big Chances missed 0 - 2

Matchday 3 - Estoril (H) 2-1 W

After an empty stadium on matchday 1 the home fans were back in attendance. On 11' Sudakov saw his 19 yard effort deflect off the back of Andreou and up onto the bar and out for a corner. On 39' Dahls 12 yard effort cannoned off a defender into the path of Greek forward Pavlidis who turned and fired home from 12 yards into the bottom right hand corner to give them a 1-0 lead at half time. Lenglet doubled the lead on 50' firing a rocket into the top left hand corner past Joel Robles from fully 30 yards. Palhinha on his debut could have made it 3 on 75' but his effort from the far edge of the 6 yard box was parried away for a corner.  Dahl almost made it 3 on 76' from 24 yards but somehow Robles got down to his left and pushed it past the post. It's fair to suggest he wasn't best pleased with his defenders. Seemingly against all odds when you look at the statistics Begraoui pulled one back on '81 and it was a fine finish too. He held off his marker to turn on a six pence and curl the ball into the far right of the net from 17 yards. Despite all their dominance in the game and total number of chances the scoreline clearly doesn't reflect it. The win moves them up to fifth with a game in hand. Despite playing a game less they're only a goal behind Sporting's tally of 12 thanks to their 7-0 thumping of Casa Pia. 

xG 2.03 - 0.36
Total Attempts 25 - 4
Shots on target 8 - 2
Big Chances 2 - 0
Big Chances missed 2 - 0

Matchday 4 - Marítimo (A) 0-3 W

Just 6 minutes gone when Prestianni's shot from 18 yards stung the hands of Pastor and flew back out to Barreiro who shrugged of the attensions of a defender and slammed home from 13 yards to make it 1-0 to the visitors. On 16' Pavilidis saw his curled effort from the edge of the D strike the right hand post and go behind for a goal kick. It wasn't until 20 minutes from time that the Eagles doubled their lead. A long cross was headed back across the six yard box by Pavlidis onto the head of Barreiro who converted from a yard from just inside the near post. With 9 to play the goal of the night came from Prestianni who started his run from inside his own half, rode the challenge of one player, continued into the box and with two defenders in front and one still behind, curled the ball into the bottom right hand corner from half a yard inside the 18 yard box. 

xG 0.12 - 1.31
Total Attempts 6 - 11
Shots on target 1 - 6
Big Chances 0 - 1
Big Chances Missed 0 - 0

Matchday 5 - Moreirense (A) 0-4 W

Double chance for the visitors with just 5 minutes played as Prestianni and Rafa both had attempts saved from the edge of the six yard box and 8 yards out respectively. Pavlidis' claims for a penalty on 14' were ignored, however the referee went to the monitor after a challenge inside the box on 43' for a VAR check. You'd hate to accuse Fábio Veríssimo of favouring the big teams but Lenglet dips his head to try make contact with the ball as Alexandre Duville-Parsemain is attempting a clearance with his back to the player. Lenglet went down clutching his head and the replay shows quite clearly there was the sum total of fuck and all with his head. He maybe caught him on the left shoulder blade. Anyway appalling decsion, and 3 minutes past the 45 Pavlidis made it 1-0 from the penalty spot. The only thing worse has to be the state of the playing surface. On 54' Schjeldrup fired low through a crowded box from 15 yards for 2-0. Just 4 minutes later Prestianni's run into the box resulted in 3-0 when he slotted home from 12 yards. Aursnes made it 4-0 on 71 running through in the centre and slotting home from 10 yards. Marco Silva sat on the bench looking bored to fucking tears had to be the best image of the night. Benfica leap frogged Sporting into 2nd on goal difference. 

xG 0.39 - 2.99
Total attempts 8 - 21
Shots on target 1 - 9
Big chances 1 - 6
Big chances missed 1 - 4

Matchday 6 - Gil Vicente (H) 3-1 W

Héctor Hernández fired the visitors into the lead with just 6 minutes played slotting home past Soares from 7 yards. The Benfica defence all at sea as Martins put it on a plate for his colleague. It was 1-1 after 28 minutes when the ball ricocheted off a defender into the path of Pavlidis who clipped it over the keeper from 7 yards. With 5 minutes to go Prestianni saw his 18 yard effort clang off the bar. With the ball still live seconds later Aursnes was brought down in the corner of the box and a penalty awarded converted by Pavlidis on 87'. The roosters came close to stealing an equaliser a minute past the 90 as they walked through the Benfica defence but Lausen could only streer his final effort at the keeper from 7 yards. They were punished for that failure when a minute later Prestianni slammed the ball home from 12 yards to put the game out of reach.

xG 2.90 - 1.11
Total Attempts 17 - 4
Shots on Target 5 - 2
Big Chances 5 - 2
Big Chances Missed 3 - 1

Europa League Round 1 - AC Milano (A) 2-0 W

The meeting of two ex-Sporting misters in the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in Ruben Amorim and Marco Silva. The latter beginning with his top scorer and best player on the bench in Pavlidis and Prestianni. However when you take into account they play in O Clássico over the weekend it makes more sense I'm sure. Not that they overtly suffered for it in the first exchanges in the game, taking the lead through Dodi Lukébakio with 15 minutes played firing home from the D into the bottom left hand corner. On 23 minutes Sudakov hit the left hand post of Mike Maignan from a yard outside the D. Jakub Kamiński beat the offside trap on 29' to leave him with just the goal to bear down on initially but good coverage from a defender tracking back saw the chance go begging. 37' Strahinja Pavlović felt a touch from behind inside the box by Aursnes on his back who was merely putting his hands out to stop being crashed into. It's not often you'll ever find me siding with our neighbours but the Serbian went down clutching his leg in a blatant display of simulation. How he avoided a booking is anyone's guess. The Eagles with a 1-0 half time lead. xG 0.35 - 0.16. As much as I like seeing the neighbours lose, having launched Torreense into Europe with defeat in the cup final in May we need all the points we can in terms of the Portuguese co-efficent. 

50' De Winter with a gilt edged opportunity to get Milano level failed to even hit the target from 12 yards. 52' All to easy for the visitors as Kamiński stabs home over Maignan from 8 yards to make it 2-0. 

In the end a comfortable win for the Eagles, Amorim with much work to do with his new side. My takeaway from the game - just how short is Prestianni, he looks like a child that has won a competition to play. 

xG 0.99 - 0.62
Total attempts 17 - 11
Shots on target 4 - 4
Big chances 0 - 1

Matchday 7 - FC Porto (A) 3-1 L

Having rested both Pavlidis and Prestianni midweek in their away trip to Milano, they both returned for O Clássico on Sunday night. FC Porto with the added benefit of not having played in Europe during the week and a full 8 days rest following their previous outing against the leagues bottom side. 12' Prestianni headed over the bar from the edge of the near side of the six yard box having got the jump on his marker onto a cross swung in from the right hand side. 17' Porto conceded possession with a poor pass out of their area and needed a header over the bar from Rosario to keep a Bah effort from going in from 20 yards. Lenglet was booked on 24 minutes as he clattered into Froholdt. Veiga made it 1-0 on 30' as he poked it past Soares from six yards. That booking on 24' for Lenglet was made worse when Silva conned the referee with one of the very worst bits of play acting that I have ever seen. Lenglet flicks his ear with the top of his fingers and he goes down like he's been caught by a Razor Blade in a flat cap a la Peaky Blinders. 

40' Porto hoofed the ball like it was 1992 all the way into the Benfica half and the last man in a red shirt sold his keeper down the river with a poor back pass that was latched onto by Gomes. The Brazilian short arse tried to round Soares who managed to get a hand to the ball before being clattered into by the Porto player. Miracle upon miracles the Porto man actually got up to his feet and chased the loose ball down but could only fire his shot at Soares from 12 yards. Half time 1-0. Prestianni found Bah on 50' with what was the most ridiculous ball which cut between two Porto players, over the head of 3 defenders and found his teammate on the edge of the six yard box to head home. Quite the assist even if I need to wash my mouth out with bleach for saying it. The good news at least is if he keeps up his good start to the season even being a racist little shit someone might buy him next summer and that's one less problem to worry about. They weren't level for long however as it transpires that centre back Tomás Araújo had the same gap between his legs as Soares did on the first goal between arm and leg which allowed the ball to go through and Froholdt finished from 13 yards into the bottom left hand corner on 53' to make it 2-1. Dreadful defending again on 59' first from Araújo who let a cross come to the near post, then from Aursnes who didn't get touch tight on Hwang who clipped it over the head of Soares from 7 yards who frankly was equally as culpable. 82' Pavlidis forced a fine save from Costa low to his right from 22 yards.

xG 1.30 - 0.84
Total Attempts 20 - 12
Shots on target 7 - 3
Big chances 3 - 2
Big chances missed 2 - 1

Matchday 8 - Vitória (H) 2-0 W

Pre-game the Benfica players stood behind a group of middle aged women only mentioned because Prestianni seems to go to the same hairdressers as quite a few of them. 3' Rafa Silva sinks to his knees as he somehow smashes the ball against the bar from 4 yards out. 20' Schjelderup shanks one past the far post from six yards. From an identical spot however on 23' Dahl didn't make the same mistake and clipped the ball over Zych for 1-0. 74' The home side finally extended their lead on 74' when Sudakov fired through a crowded box from 16 yards for 2-0. 89' The away side nearly pulled one back Arcanjo curled a ball in from the right wing that missed everyone and cannoned off the far post and away to safety. 

xG 2.76 - 0.43
Total Attempts 23 - 8
Shots on target 5 - 0
Big chances 5 - 0
Big chances missed 4 - 0

Europa League Matchday 2 - Glasgow Celtic (H) 4-1 W

The eagles continued their free scoring start to the new season with a comprehensive thumping of the Scottish Champions. Loanee Jhon Durán opened the scoring from the penalty spot with just 4 minutes played. Bah made it 2-0 on 22 before Durán added his second on 35 to put the game seemingly out of reach. Fans of 80s music will no doubt have appreciated Camilo Durán pulling a goal back on 62 to leave Durán Durán on the scoresheet. Pavlidis made it a View to a Kill with 2 minutes remaining to complete the rout.

xG 3.18 - 1.36
Total Attempts 26 - 14
Shots on target 7 - 7
Big chances 4 - 2
Big chances missed 2 - 1