Taca de Portugal | Quarter-Finals

Feb 26, 2025 at 8.45pm UK

Estadio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica

Benfica vs Braga

Match preview

Benfica continued their push for the 2024-25 Portuguese Primeira Liga title with a 3-0 win over Boavista when the two sides met at the Estadio da Luz on Saturday.

In a game in which Miguel Reisinho was given his marching orders, Andrea Belotti opened the scoring in the 28th minute to set the hosts on their way before Vangelis Pavlidis and Orkun Kokcu scored in the second half to complete an impressive team display.

It came just four days after Benfica booked their place in the last 16 of the Champions League when they twice came from behind to draw 3-3 with Monaco in the second leg of their knockout tie, before completing a thrilling 4-3 aggregate victory over the French side.

Bruno Lage's men, who are now level on 53 points with Sporting Lisbon at the top of the Primeira Liga standings, will now turn their attention to the Taca de Portugal, where they will be looking to lift the trophy for the first time since 2017.

Benfica kicked off their quest for the trophy with an emphatic 7-0 win over Estrela Amadora on 23 November, two months before a 3-1 victory over Farense at the Estadio de Sao Luis in the fifth round.

Braga, on the other hand, needed a 95th-minute strike from veteran midfielder Joao Moutinho to claim a 2-1 victory over third-tier side Dezembro in their Cup opener on 19 October, before making light work of Leixoes in a 2-0 win at the Sea Stadium.

Os Arcebispos avoided an upset in the fifth round on 15 January, when first-half goals from Andre Horta and Ricardo Horta gave them a nervy 2-1 win at home to Campeonato de Portugal side Lusitano Evora.

Braga go into Wednesday's clash fresh from a 1-0 win over Nacional in the Primeira Liga at the Estadio Braga Municipal, thanks to a 37th-minute strike from French midfielder Jean-Baptiste Gorby.

Carlos Carvalhal's side travel to the Estadio da Luz unbeaten in their last seven matches in all competitions, with six wins and a draw since a 2-1 defeat to Belgian side Union SG in the Europa League on 23 January.

It is worth noting, however, that Braga have lost all but one of their last six away games against Benfica, with a narrow 3-2 league victory in November 2020 the exception.

Recent Performance

Benfica Taca de Portugal form:WWW

Benfica form (all competitions):WWWWDW

Braga Taca de Portugal form:WWW

Braga form (all competitions):WWWWDW

Team News

Benfica continue to be without a number of key players as Manuel Jorge Silva (ACL), Alexander Bah (ACL) and Tiago Gouveia (shoulder) remain on the sidelines.

Veteran striker Angel Di Maria has missed the last three games since suffering a hamstring injury against Monaco on 12 February, while Renato Sanches is recovering from a thigh problem.

Belotti, who joined from Como on loan in January, scored for As Aguias last weekend and the 31-year-old striker will be hoping to hit the ground running.

On the other hand, Braga will be without the services of 25-year-old defender Sikou Niakate, who is set to miss his fifth consecutive match after picking up a thigh injury against Lazio in January.

Otherwise, Os Arcebispos have a clean bill of health and no suspensions to worry about, giving Carvalhal a relatively full-strength squad to choose from.

Possible starting lineup

Benfica possible starting lineup:

Soares; Araujo, Otamendi, Carreras, Santos, Kokcu, Aursnes, Dahl; Amdouni, Belotti, Bruma

Braga possible starting lineup:

Hornicek; Gomez, Oliveira, Arrey-Mbi, Chissumba; Moutinho, Gorby; Fernandes, Horta, Gharbi; El Ouazzani