Benfica fly into weekend's Classico with win over Farense

Benfica barely beat Farense 3-2 earlier today behind a brace from winger Kerem Akturoglu but now all eyes are on the big game against FC Porto. Both Benfica and Sporting have 65 points. With seven games left, the title race is super tight. This Classico match could have huge implications on who wins the Portuguese League.

Benfica's win over Farense showed some good things. It also showed areas where the club can improve, as the team needs to be ready for FC Porto. Against Farense, Benfica used their usual formation. They focused on attacking quickly and keeping the ball. Sometimes, the defense had problems. The Eagles need to fix this for the FC Porto game.

FC Porto are always a tough test and traveling to the Estadio do Dragao for this contest will present the club with a hostile environment as Porto look to exact revenge for an earlier season 4-1 loss to Benfica and will look to feed off the crowd in hopes of inflicting damage to Benfica's chase for the league title.

Sporting will also have their hands full this weekend as they face Braga, in a weekend that will have all four top league sides in action against one another. Benfica will hope for a positive result in Porto on Sunday with they hope that Braga can do the club a solid on Monday.

 

Benfica have a situation at right back

Benfica temporary right back Tomas Araujo was substituted for the fifth game in a row on Friday as he battles muscle injuries and the club is left reeling as they lack an adequate replacement for injured starter Alexander Bah.

The only natural right back the club currently has is 19 year old Leandro Santos who has appeared in four games this season but manager Bruno Lage is reluctant to use the youngster in difficult encounters and has played Araujo, Samuel Dahl and Fredrik Aursnes out of position since Bah's injury.

Araujo is expected to miss the club's Week 27 encounter against Farense on Wednesday in hopes that he will be ready to compete in the upcoming Classico on the weekend when the club will take on FC Porto at the Dragao.

Benfica missed the opportunity to add a right back during the winter deadline and will now need to work to puzzle pieces into the position for the remainder of the season. How will this work out, we will find out over the next two months as the season winds down.

Benfica linked with move for Independiente midfielder

Benfica are being linked with summer move for Independiente midfielder Felipe Loyola according to reports from Argentina, as the club looks to bolster squad for the 2025-26 season.

The 24 year old Chilean international has only arrived in Argentina during this past summer but he has already caught the attention of some of Europe's bigger clubs, as the versatile player who can play both center and defensive midfield but also right back if required.

Loyola has appeared in 11 games so far this year with Independiente scoring one goal while providing two helpers and has appeared in 31 games across all competitions with the Argentinian side since arriving from Huachipato for €1.65M.

Benfica continue their South American search for players, as they have the past few seasons as the club looks for bargain prices to acquire some hidden gems that will help the club and then sell them for profit as they have with Enzo Fernandez and Marcos Leonardo that past few seasons.