The Estádio João Cardoso hosts a stark contrast in fortunes today, Sunday, February 1, 2026, as the legendary José Mourinho brings his high-flying Benfica side to face a struggling Tondela. Kick-off is set for 20:30 GMT.
Benfica (3rd, 45 points) arrives as the only unbeaten team in Liga Portugal, chasing down Porto and Sporting in a three-way title race. For Tondela (17th, 12 points), the mission is simple but daunting: find a way to stop a team that hasn't tasted defeat in 34 league matches.
Match Information
| Feature | Details |
| Competition | Liga Portugal (Matchday 20) |
| Date | Sunday, February 1, 2026 |
| Kick-off | 20:30 GMT / 15:30 ET |
| Venue | Estádio João Cardoso, Tondela |
| Referee | TBD |
| TV Channel | Sport TV (PT) / GOLTV (US) |
Benfica: The Mourinho Momentum
Under "The Special One," Benfica has become a portrait of resilience. Just three days ago, they secured a dramatic 4–2 Champions League win over Real Madrid, with goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scoring a 98th-minute header to clinch a playoff spot. Domestically, they have been perfect in 2026, winning all three league games without conceding a single goal.
Team News and Selection:
The Goal Machine: Vangelis Pavlidis is the league's top scorer with 19 goals and was recently named December’s Player of the Month.
Key Absences: Mourinho will be without Alexander Bah, Dodi Lukebakio, and Richard Rios due to injury.
Defensive Solidity: The Eagles have kept 10 clean sheets this season, conceding just 0.6 goals per game.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Trubin; Kaboré, Otamendi, Silva, Carreras; Florentino, Aursnes; Di María, Kökçü, Aktürkoğlu; Pavlidis.
Tondela: Clinging to Survival
It has been a grueling winter for Cristiano Bacci’s Tondela. They sit deep in the relegation zone, having lost three consecutive matches to Famalicão, Moreirense, and Braga. With the second-worst goal difference in the division, their primary goal today will be damage limitation against a superior offensive unit.
Team News and Selection:
Fitness Update: Tondela enters the match with a relatively clean bill of health, though Bacci is expected to rotate his defensive line to a more compact five-man backhouse.
Goal Drought: The "Gold and Green" have failed to score in their last three outings, a trend they must break to have any hope of an upset.
Predicted XI (5-4-1): Niasse; Bebeto, Alves, Ba, Marcelo, Khacef; Costinha, Hélder, Aziawia, Luan; Rocha.
? Head-to-Head (H2H) and Key Stats
Historical Dominance: Benfica has won 14 of the last 15 meetings between these two sides.
The Streak: Benfica is currently on a 34-match unbeaten run in the Primeira Liga.
Clean Sheet Kings: Benfica has kept a clean sheet in 7 of their last 9 encounters with Tondela.
The Gap: There is a 33-point difference between the two sides in the table.
Tactical Analysis and Prediction
This match is expected to be a game of "attack vs. defense." Mourinho’s Benfica thrives on high possession (averaging over 60%) and surgical through-balls to Pavlidis. Tondela will likely sit in a low block, hoping to frustrate the visitors and strike on the counter-prowess of Rocha.
However, given the disparity in form and the confidence surging through the Benfica camp after their European heroics against Real Madrid, a Tondela upset seems unlikely. Mourinho will demand a professional performance to keep the pressure on leaders Porto.
Final Score Prediction: Tondela 0–3 Benfica
