Liga NOS Matchday 27 Odds & Picks: Races Heat Up

• It’s been a bumpy thrill ride for Portugal’s Liga NOS in two matchdays since returning from the COVID suspension, with plenty of highlight-reel goals, keeper blunders and upsets
• A disappointing 2-2 draw last week saw Benfica (-161) fall two points behind Porto in the title race; Bruno Lage’s Eagles are on the road at Rio Ave (+480) this week
• Get all the odds and best bets for Matchday 27 in Portugal below

League leaders Porto are firm -556 favorites for a trip to last-place Desportivo Aves (+1350) on Tuesday, and could put a large nail in the latter’s relegation coffin with a win.

Elsewhere, Famalicao (+245) host Braga (+101) in a 5th- vs. 3rd-place showdown with serious implications. Just three points separate the hosts from their visitors, and European soccer could be on the horizon for Famalicao if Joao Pedro Sousa’s team can engineer some results down the stretch.

Liga NOS Matchday 27 Odds

All odds taken June 14

Pick 1: Rio Ave vs. Benfica

Carlos Carvalhal’s Rio Ave (11-8-7) are no strangers to Big 3 scalps this season, with wins over Sporting and a draw with Porto already under their belt.

With Bruno Lage’s topsy-turvy Benfica (19-4-3) visiting Vila do Conde on Matchday 27, there is certainly upset potential.

Rio Ave have lost just once in their last 11 matches — a disappointing 3-2 home defeat to lowly Pacos Ferreira coming out of the COVID break — while Benfica have drawn their last four league matches.

4 – SL Benfica have now gone four games without a victory in the Primeira Liga (D4), their longest winless run in the competition since March 2008 (also four games). Drought.#LigaNOS #PSCSLB pic.twitter.com/RfNOVouldb

— OptaJoao (@OptaJoao) June 10, 2020

While history may not be on Rio Ave’s side, with Benfica having won the last four league meetings, there are certainly some form concerns for the latter at the moment.

PICK: Rio Ave +0.5, 1 (+105)

Pick 2: Sporting Lisbon vs. Tondela

As Sporting (14-4-8) gear up for a fight to the bitter end in their quest to finish 3rd, Tondela (7-8-11) appear to be unusually comfortable with eight matches left.

Pepa’s squad scored a key 2-0 win over Aves last week, and pulled themselves nine points clear of the drop zone in the process; with Famalicao (5th), Porto (1st) and Braga (3rd) still on the schedule, however, any and all points would be appreciated.

Ruben Amorim’s Sporting will need to be careful on Thursday, as Tondela have won the return fixture of this match at home in each of the past two seasons; this is far from a given.

PICK: Tondela +1, 1.5 (-121)

Pick 3: Famalicao vs. Sporting Braga

Famalicao (12-7-7) have come roaring out of the COVID break with a pair of wins (including one over Porto), and subsequently taken control of their European destiny again.

Creative Famalicao attacker Fabio Martins has two goals in as many games, and the squad’s five goals since the return to play are the most in the Liga NOS.

GOLO! FC Famalicão, Fábio Martins aos 12', Gil Vicente FC 0-1 FC Famalicão #LigaNOS #GVFCFCF
🎥⏱ https://t.co/p2ymfETcYN pic.twitter.com/x1SVbRYwED

— VSPORTS (@vsports_pt) June 9, 2020

Braga (14-4-8), on the other hand, have floundered with a pair of defeats against Santa Clara (2-3) and Boavista (0-1) resulting in a tighter European race entering the final stretch of the season.

This could be a pivotal match in the race for Europe: Will Famalicao continue their good form, or will Braga bounce back from a slow post-COVID start?

PICK: Famalicao (+245)