Benfica - Guimaraes Game Preview

2-1,2-1,2-0 and 2-1, were the results of the four times Benfica and Guimaraes met this season. Taking this into consideration, you might think that Benfica owns Guimaraes this season, and this Saturday's game will be a game in which Benfica will enter with and edge, but is it? Throwing out all of the previous results out the window, and stripping the match to the facts, Benfica does have the edge. Benfica is playing home, where they have yet to lose a game, and there's a 16 point gap between the two. That alone is enough to give Benfica the edge. But what can we expect from a this game and Benfica's approach to it? Surely Quique has warned the players against over confidence and total concentration, but you can't help but to think that the 4 past wins have to be a factor in players minds going into this game.


Here are the 19 players Quique called up:

Keepers: Moreira and Quim.

Defenders: Maxi, Luisão, Miguel Vítor, Sidnei, David Luiz and Jorge Ribeiro.

Midfielders: Yebda, Katsouranis, Binya, Reyes, Di Maria and Balboa.

Forwards: Cardozo, Urreta, Nuno Gomes, Aimar and Mantorras.

1 player will watch the game from the stands.
Suazo, Amorim, and Martins continue to recuperate from their injuries and are not available for this game. Mantorras returns to the game rosters, but will be one of the candidates to a seat in the stands.

The starting 11 should not deviate much from last game's - Moreira in goal, Maxi, Luisao, Miguel Vitor and David Luiz in the back. Katsouranis and Uebda will be in the middle, while DiMaria and Reyes will be on the flanks. Up Front, Aimar will support Cardozo.

The team knows they can't afford to lose anymore ground in the Championship race, and need to keep adding to the win column to the have a chance in the 9 games that are still left to play.
As far as tonight's game, it'll prove to be an interesting game, Guimaraes will be looking to beat Benfica the fifth time around, in a win that will very well offer some redemption as they will complicate Benfica's chances of winning the league, if they beat Benfica.


**Photo Credit - Getty***