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Boavista will host Benfica at the Estadio do Bessa on Monday in the opening game of the 2023-24 Primeira Liga campaign.
The home side had a largely positive campaign last season, finishing in the top half of the league standings for the first time in four seasons. They picked up 44 points from 34 games, their second-highest points tally in their last 11 seasons in the Portuguese top-flight.
Boavista made their return to competitive action last month, facing second-tier Uniao Leiria in the first round of the Taca da Liga qualifiers, playing out a goalless draw in normal time before going on to lose on penalties.
Benfica, meanwhile, breezed through the Primeira Liga last season, clinching their first league title since the 2018-19 campaign. They made a second consecutive UEFA Champions League quarterfinal appearance last season, this time losing out to eventual finalists Inter Milan.
After closing out their pre-season campaign with back-to-back defeats, the visitors returned to competitive action earlier this week, facing rivals Porto in the Portuguese Super Cup and winning 2-0.
Boavista vs Benfica Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- Historically, there have been 128 meetings between Boavista and Benfica. The home side have won 20 of those games while the visitors have won 74 times. There have been 34 draws between the two teams.
- The hosts are without a clean sheet in their last six games in this fixture.
- The visitors are undefeated in their last six games in this fixture.
- Only three of Boavista's 14 league defeats last season came on home turf.
- Benfica were the highest-scoring side in the Portuguese top-flight last season with a goal tally of 82.
Boavista vs Benfica Prediction
Boavista are on a run of back-to-back defeats and have won just one of their last four matches. They are, however, unbeaten in their last four home league games and will be hopeful of a positive result next week.
Benfica, meanwhile, ended a run of back-to-back losses in their last outing and will be looking to build on that next week. They are the strongest side ahead of Monday's fixture and should win this one fairly easily.
Prediction: Boavista 1-3 Benfica
Boavista vs Benfica Betting Tips
Tip 1 - Result: Benfica to win
Tip 2 - Goals - Over/under 2.5 - Over 2.5 goals (Eight of the last 10 matches between the two teams have produced more than 2.5 goals)
Tip 3 - Both teams to score: YES (Both sides have found the back of the net in four of their last five matchups)
