Benfica vs Maritimo Predictions

• Benfica have won 11 straight games to start the season.
• Maritimo have suffered big away defeats to both Porto (5-1) and Sporting Braga (5-0) already this season.
• Joao Mario has scored five goals in his last five appearances for Benfica.

Maritimo in deep water against unblemished Benfica

Benfica remain perfect after 11 games of the season and that record does not look to be under threat from bottom club Maritimo in the Primeira Liga this weekend. Roger Schmidt’s side return from arguably the best performance of his reign in winning away at Juventus in midweek and ought to canter to three points in this facile domestic contest.

The question of what sort of margin they win by will depend on what sort of mood they are in, but title rivals Porto and Sporting Braga have already put five goals apiece past the Greatest of the Islands and Benfica would expect to emulate them.

The Eagles are likely to make changes from the victory in Turin with Julian Draxler likely to get his first home start and Petar Musa set to feature up front.

Eagles star could be on the spot again

The likely switches make picking an anytime goalscorer selection a bit of a lottery, but with Benfica to dominate and potentially score a few goals it may be worth siding with penalty-taker Joao Mario. The wideman has scored five goals in his last five appearances and was serving a suspension last weekend, so may not be due for a rest here.

Maritimo coach Joao Henriques will make changes to the side that lost at Gil Vicente in his first game in charge. Clesio and Andre Vidigal, who is available after serving a suspension, are strong candidates to start at the expense of Xadas and Zarzana.

Maritimo have scored in 14 of their last 16 away Primeira Liga contests, so could potentially get off the mark at the Luz, but backing the hosts to cover a -2 handicap looks a safer play with the form that both times are currently expressing. A 4-1 win is worth a small risk in correct score markets because of Maritimo’s record of bagging on the road while Benfica have conceded in nine of their last 12 home league games.

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