Benfica to face Braga in Taca da Liga semis

Benfica found out their opponents in the Taca da Liga Final Four as they will face old foes and defending champions Braga in a Final Four that will see Portugal's top four clubs face off once again for the League Cup.

Benfica defeated Santa Clara 3-0 yesterday in the quarter-final stage with a flurry of late goals in the final 18 minutes of the game as striker Pavlidis scored a brace, snapping him out of a funk after Angel di Maria opened the scoring for the Lisbon club.

Braga defeated their Minho rivals Guimaraes 2-1 earlier today to move into the head to head contest against Benfica in early January. The other semi-final will see Sporting take on FC Porto with the winners of each contest moving into the Finals played in Leiria on January 11, 2025.

This will be the third time in the past six competitions that the Final Four will feature the same clubs as this year. Each team has won the competition with Benfica (7), Sporting (4), Braga (3) and FC Porto (1) having capturing all but two titles since the tournaments inception.

Benfica ready for Taca da Liga opener

Benfica get set to kick off their Taca da Liga campaign at the Luz against Santa Clara tomorrow in a revamped competition that will only see eight clubs compete for an opportunity to capture this trophy. What is now a mini tournament will have last season's top six finishers in the top flight and the top two clubs from the previous season in the second division go at it.

Benfica is still the most successful club since the launch of this competition during the 2007-08 season and have captured the trophy seven times but last won the competition in 2016. Benfica did make the finals in 2022 but where defeated 2-1 to Sporting. The Final Four will take place in Leiria over four days in January, with the Final on January 11, 2025.

Benfica back in league action after a month

Benfica return to league action tomorrow when they face Rio Ave at the Luz after what has been a long layoff from league play thanks to a postponed Week 8 game against Nacional in early October due to poor weather in the Madeira. Benfica last played a league game on September 28 when they defeated Gil Vicente 5-1 at home in Week 7.

Benfica look to shake off a disappointing display from their mid-week Champions League encounter which resulted in a loss to Dutch club Feyenoord. The loss was Bruno Lage's first in seven games since his rehiring at the club in mid September.