FC Porto vs Benfica Odds & Preview – Primeira Liga Round 14
- There will be a massive clash between two of Portugal’s top clubs on Friday
- FC Porto and Benfica are tied in second place with 31 points
- Get our odds, preview, and best bet for this Primeira Liga showdown below
Matchday 14 brings one of the most highly-anticipated of the season, with Porto vs Benfica on Friday, January 15th, kick-off at 4:00 PM EST at The Estádio do Dragão. Not much has separated the two sides so far this term, with goal difference slightly favoring the hosts.
Porto will be feeling confident heading into this meeting after a 2-0 Super Cup victory over Benfica back in December.
FC Porto vs Benfica Primeira Liga Odds
| Matchup | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| FC Porto vs Benfica | POR pk (-116) | BEN pk (+148) | POR +108 | BEN +230 | DRAW +240 | Ov 2.5 (-137) | Un 2.5 (+110) |
All odds taken Jan 14 at DraftKings
Porto Looking Unbeatable
Last year’s champions are on a brilliant run of form right now. Porto has won 15 of their last 16 matches and scored at least two goals in nine consecutive appearances. The Portuguese giants will be on short rest heading into Friday’s game, having played on Tuesday in the League Cup. They buried Nacional 4-2 in extra time, having to play the full 120 minutes to secure a victory.
Nevertheless, Porto will be eager to secure a positive result against Benfica. Frankly, no one has been able to beat this side. They’ve been running riot on all of their opponents, with their last defeat coming in late October.
Midfielder Sergio Oliviera has been absolutely clinical in the final third this term, already netting 12 times through all competitions, while also tallying four assists domestically. Their strike duo of Mehdi Taremi and Moussa Marega has also kept busy, combining for 16 goals.
Sergio Conceicao’s side has no shortage of attacking threats as they continue to chase Sporting Lisbon in top spot, who are just four points ahead. There is still lots of football to be played as Porto eye another title, but a positive result is a must on Friday against their rivals. Conceicao’s squad will certainly have their work cut out for them though against a solid Benfica backline.
Benfica Attack Struggling to Put Away Opponents
It’s no secret that Benfica is considered one of the premier clubs in Portugal. Even though Jorge Jesus’s men haven’t lost in six league appearances, there have been too many close calls. Matchday 13 saw Benfica beat bottom of the table Tondela 2-0 while scoring their second in the dying minutes of injury time.
Their previous two matches before that victory were also lackluster performances, tying seventh place Santa Clara then barely edging out 16th place Portimonense. Basically, their form hasn’t been where it needs to be coming into a clash with a club like Porto who are destroying every side they come up against.
On a more positive note though, Benfica secured a convincing 4-0 win in the Taca De Portugal Cup over Estrela Amadora, who is a third-tier side. Nevertheless, it was a chance for Jesus’s attack to find their footing, with striker Haris Seferovic bagging his 10th goal of the term. SC Freiburg loanee Luca Waldschmidt also found the back of the net, taking his tally to eight goals.
From these two to midfielder Pizzi who is also a regular contributor in the final third, there is no shortage of talent in this team. Defensively, their backline has been sharp, conceding just 13 times. The question is, will the entire squad rise to the occasion in one of the most important matches of the season against Porto? Only time will tell.
FC Porto vs Benfica Key Stats
| 10-1-2 (2nd in Primeira Liga) | Standing | 10-1-2 (3rd in Primeira Liga) |
| 35 | Goals Scored | 28 |
| 16 | Goals Conceded | 13 |
| 5-0-0 | Record in Last Five Matches | 4-1-0 |
Porto vs Benfica Best Bet
This is always a very entertaining fixture and it’s hard to predict just who will come out victorious. But, Porto is honestly looking way too dominant in the last couple of months here. Although both sides have just two days’ rest coming into Friday’s clash, expect this to still be a well-played fixture.
They’re both stable defensively, but one attack is firing on all cylinders, while the other is not. I have no doubts Benfica will find their form offensively soon, but it won’t be against Porto. A two-goal victory for the hosts is likely while keeping their opponents scoreless.
Pick: Porto 2-0 win (+1000)
Quinn Allen is a sports journalist, with a background and education in broadcast journalism (BCIT '17). He is a full-time associate editor at ClutchPoints by day, where he writes about soccer, baseball, basketball, football, and more. At night, Quinn is a frequent contributor at SBD.
