Updated 26 October 2026.
Santa Clara are unbeaten after eight league games and Benfica arrive as the highest scorers in Liga Portugal, so Monday's meeting at the Estádio de São Miguel (kick-off 18:45 UK on 26 October 2026) pairs the best clean-sheet record in the league with the league's highest-scoring attack. The hosts sit 4th in the table on 18 points, one behind 2nd-placed Benfica, who have played the same eight games.
Santa Clara have conceded four goals in eight league games and kept a clean sheet in 63% of their league games, the highest rate in the division. Benfica average three goals a game, the most of any side.
Santa Clara have won five and drawn three of their eight, scoring 12 and letting in 4. They concede 0.5 goals a game, the 2nd fewest in the league. Their last five: a 1-0 win at Casa Pia on 10 October, a 0-0 home draw with Braga, a 2-1 win at Arouca, a 4-0 win over Rio Ave and a 1-1 draw at Alverca. They are also the most-carded side in the league at three cards a game, and they commit 13.13 fouls a game, the 8th most.
Benfica have won six, drawn one and lost one, scoring 24 and conceding 7. The one defeat was a 3-1 loss at Porto on 20 September. Since then they have beaten Vitória SC 2-0 in the league and won in the Europa League by 4-1 against Celtic and 4-1 at Omonia on 22 October. Nine of their last ten games in all competitions have been wins.
Benfica lead the league in shots on target at 6.88 a game and in corners at 7.75, and 88% of their league games have gone over 2.5 goals, the highest rate in the division. Santa Clara average 3.5 shots on target a game, the 8th fewest.
Santa Clara possible starting lineup:
Lucas França; Lucas Soares, Pedro Pacheco, Guilherme Romão, Emanuel Fernandes; Pedro Ferreira, Tiago Ribeiro, Djé; Vinícius Lopes, Brenner; Gonçalo Paciência
Benfica possible starting lineup:
Samuel Soares; Alexander Bah, Tomás Araújo, Alessandro Circati, Samuel Dahl; João Palhinha, Leandro Barreiro; Rafa Silva, Gianluca Prestianni, Andreas Schjelderup; Vangelis Pavlidis
Vangelis Pavlidis has had two or more shots in each of Benfica's eight league games, averaging 3.5 a game. He is 1.20 at midnite to make it nine.
Gianluca Prestianni matches that run with eight straight games of two-plus shots, at 3.9 a game, and is 1.14 at midnite to extend it.
Gonçalo Paciência has had a shot in all eight of Santa Clara's league games, averaging 3.4 a game, and a foul in seven straight. A shot from him is 1.05 at midnite and a foul is 1.17.
Pedro Ferreira has made at least one tackle in all eight of Santa Clara's league games, averaging four a game, and has committed a foul in four straight. A foul from him is 1.15 at midnite.
Leandro Barreiro has committed a foul in all eight of Benfica's league games, averaging 1.8 a game, and is 1.20 at midnite to do it again.
We back Benfica to win, at 1.40 with ladbrokes. Santa Clara are 8.50 at bet365 and the draw is 4.80 at ladbrokes.
| Market | Best price | Statz chance |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Clara win | 8.50 (bet365) | 12% |
| Draw | 4.80 (ladbrokes) | 23% |
| Benfica win | 1.40 (ladbrokes) | 65% |
| Both teams to score | 2.15 (coral) | 43% |
| Over 1.5 goals | 1.29 (midnite) | 73% |
| Over 2.5 goals | 1.85 (bet365) | 47% |
Our model projects 1.87 goals for Benfica and 0.69 for Santa Clara. 0-2 is the likeliest scoreline by a whisker, with 0-1 level with it at about 13.5%. Benfica keep a clean sheet in half of our simulations. Santa Clara's own clean-sheet record is the best in the league, so a low-scoring game is very much in play, and a draw is possible too, with 1-1 third among the likeliest scorelines.
Statz prediction: Santa Clara 0-2 Benfica.
The match is on Monday 26 October 2026 at 18:45 UK time at the Estádio de São Miguel.
We predict Santa Clara 0-2 Benfica. 0-2 is the likeliest single scoreline, with 0-1 level with it at about 13.5%, and we give Benfica a 65% chance of winning.
Benfica. They are 1.40 with ladbrokes, while Santa Clara are 8.50 with bet365 and the draw is 4.80 with ladbrokes.
We give both teams to score a 43% chance, with a best price of 2.15 at coral. Santa Clara have kept a clean sheet in 63% of their league games.
Vangelis Pavlidis and Gianluca Prestianni have both had two or more shots in each of Benfica's eight league games, averaging 3.5 and 3.9 shots a game.
Benfica are 2nd on 19 points and Santa Clara 4th on 18, both after eight games.
Santa Clara: Lucas França; Lucas Soares, Pedro Pacheco, Guilherme Romão, Emanuel Fernandes; Pedro Ferreira, Tiago Ribeiro, Djé; Vinícius Lopes, Brenner; Gonçalo Paciência. Benfica: Samuel Soares; Alexander Bah, Tomás Araújo, Alessandro Circati, Samuel Dahl; João Palhinha, Leandro Barreiro; Rafa Silva, Gianluca Prestianni, Andreas Schjelderup; Vangelis Pavlidis.