Portugal Primeira Liga Matchday 5 Odds & Picks: Santa Clara vs Sporting Lisbon, Porto vs Gil Vicente & Guimaraes vs Braga

• With Portugal’s top clubs fresh off European games mid-week, the Primeira Liga returns to action with a full slate of matches beginning Friday
• Just three teams — first-place Benfica, third-place Sporting and mid-table Gil Vicente — remain undefeated
• Get all the odds and best bets for Matchday 5 in Portugal’s top division below

Though we are only one month into the Primeira Liga’s 2020-21 season, it appears Benfica is on the brink of running away with the title.

Thanks to a few slip-ups from Porto (7 pts.), the Aguias (12 pts.) have opened up a five-point lead atop Portugal’s first division and are overwhelming -1000 favorites at home this weekend against Belenenses (Monday, 4:15 pm ET).

Porto will need to pick up all three points in convincing fashion against visiting Gil Vicente on Saturday (3:30 pm ET) in order to save the dying embers of the title race, which many predicted would be firmly Benfica’s from the outset.

The must-watch game of Matchday 5 is in Guimaraes, where Vitoria host Braga (Sunday, 4:00 pm ET) in the Derbi do Minho.

In the Azores, Santa Clara will look to stop a two-game winless skid against a young, exciting Sporting Lisbon squad on Saturday (1:00 pm ET).

Primeira Liga Matchday 5 Odds

All odds taken Oct 22 at DraftKings

Pick 1: Santa Clara vs Sporting Lisbon

Santa Clara (2-1-1) began the season red-hot but has cooled off significantly with dropped points against Gil Vicente (0-0) and Pacos Ferreira (1-2) in its last two outings.

Sporting (2-1-0) has been consistent out of the gate this season, earning a solid point against Porto in its last league outing, showcasing a balanced XI spearheaded by young talents like Jovane Cabral (22) and Nuno Mendes (18).

Well-rested with the offense firing on all cylinders, Sporting should pick up a road win in the Azores — just as it did in both 2018-19 (2-1) and 2019-20 (4-0).

Also: Joao Mario returned to Sporting earlier this month and should help steady an inexperienced dressing room.

PICK: Sporting Lisbon -112

Pick 2: Porto vs Gil Vicente

It’s difficult to remember the last time Porto (2-1-1) went three matches without a win prior to current day.

Sergio Conceicao’s squad was stunned at home by Maritimo prior to the international break, and since returning to the pitch has drawn at Sporting and lost at Manchester City in Champions League play.

The Dragoes already trail Benfica by five points, and run the risk of falling out of title contention if they drop any more points early in the Primeira Liga season; a defensively structured Gil Vicente (1-2-0) is not the friendliest of faces on the calendar.

Granted, Saturday’s visitors haven’t exactly faced murderer’s row — Portimonense, Tondela and Santa Clara — but their defensive record (1 GA in 3 GP) bears mentioning.

Will Porto bust out of its slump, or will Gil Vicente grind out a close result? We’re betting on the latter with some spread protection, especially as the two split their meetings last season (2-1 to the home team, both times).

PICK: Gil Vicente +1.75 (-110)

Pick 3: Guimaraes vs Braga

Though COVID will rob us of the raucous atmosphere that typically accompanies a Minho Derby between Vitoria Guimaraes (2-1-1) and Braga (2-0-2), the entertainment value on the pitch should persist despite our COVID reality.

Guimaraes have been ultra-tight defensively this season, playing in three 1-0 games and a 0-0 draw, while Braga’s offense has sprung to life after an initial adjustment period under new manager Carlos Carvalhal (6 GF in last two matches).

Braga has dominated the regional rivalry in recent seasons, winning five of the last six (with one draw) meetings in league play dating back to 2017-18.

With Braga’s attack in form, take the ‘Over’ here as both squads press for a much-needed win.

PICK: Over 2.5 (-106)