Match Preview: Benfica vs CF Os Belenenses – Friendlies Clubs

Benfica vs Belenenses: Can the Blue Shirts Avenge a Five-Goal Thrashing?

In a peculiar twist of the pre-season calendar, Benfica prepares to face CF Os Belenenses again, mere hours or days after dishing out a resounding 5-1 defeat in a previous friendly encounter. While the stakes remain firmly in the realm of fitness and tactical refinement, this immediate rematch presents a fascinating dynamic: can Belenenses offer an instantaneous response to such a heavy loss, or will Benfica simply reinforce their dominance? For both sides, these friendlies are about much more than the scoreline, yet the memory of that recent result will undoubtedly loom large over the Estádio do Restelo.

Match Details

• Competition: Friendlies Clubs
• Venue: None, None
• Kick-off: Friday, 24 July 2026 • 18:00 UK Time
• Referee: None

Current Form

Benfica’s pre-season has, thus far, been a mixed bag of results, typical for a top club integrating new signings and rotating heavily. Their most recent outing prior to this fixture saw them fall 1-2 to FC ST. Gallen in a UEFA Europa League fixture, suggesting there are still wrinkles to iron out. Before that, they secured a comfortable 2-0 victory over Villarreal and suffered a narrow 1-2 loss to Flamengo. However, the standout result, and perhaps the most pertinent for this preview, is the emphatic 5-1 triumph over Belenenses itself, providing a clear indication of their attacking prowess when finding their rhythm.

CF Os Belenenses, on the other hand, finds themselves in a more challenging pre-season patch. The heavy 1-5 defeat to Benfica serves as a stark reminder of the quality gap they face. This followed another friendly loss, 1-2 to Alverca, indicating a struggle for defensive solidity. Their last competitive fixtures from May, a 0-0 draw and a 0-1 loss against Farense in the Segunda Liga, along with a 3-1 win over Mafra in Liga 3, highlight a side stepping up in competition during these summer warm-ups. The aim for Belenenses will be less about victory and more about demonstrating tactical discipline and resilience.

Team News

With no major injuries reported for either side, both Benfica and CF Os Belenenses are expected to have full complements of their available squads. For Benfica, this means the coaching staff can continue to experiment with combinations and provide crucial minutes across the pitch. New attacking options like V. Pavlidis, D. Lukebakio, and A. Cabral will likely see further involvement, aiming to build chemistry with established creative forces such as Rafa and H. Sudakov. In midfield, E. Barrenechea and F. Aursnes could be vital in dictating the tempo, while António Silva and C. Lenglet anchor the defence.