Moreirense and Benfica face off this Wednesday, at 8:45 PM, at Estádio Comendador Joaquim de Almeida Freitas, in Moreira de Cónegos. Moreirense, managed by Vasco Botelho da Costa, sits in 13th place in Liga Portugal with 4 points, while Benfica, now coached by Marco Silva, has 10 points from 4 matches and remains unbeaten this season. The match will be broadcast on open signal by TVI, with Fábio Veríssimo as referee.
The head-to-head record between the two clubs totals 38 matches, with 27 Benfica wins, 2 Moreirense wins and 9 draws. In Moreira de Cónegos, in 20 matches, Moreirense has never beaten Benfica, recording 15 defeats and 5 draws. Moreirense's last win over the Lisbon side occurred at Estádio da Luz, in November 2018, by 3 to 1.
In recent years, the balance has been greater. The first time Moreirense managed to hold Benfica at home in the League was on February 14, 2021, in a 1-1 draw. This was followed by a sequence of three consecutive draws in Moreira de Cónegos, between 2022 and 2024, including a 1-1 in August 2024 that preceded Roger Schmidt's departure from Benfica. In the last season, Benfica thrashed Moreirense by 4 to 0 in the 14th round.
For Wednesday's match, Moreirense cannot count on Guilherme Liberato, suspended, and João Veloso, barred by regulation as he is on loan from Benfica. On Benfica's side, the probable lineups include Samuel Soares, Barreiro, Palhinha, Rafa Silva and Pavlidis, among others.
