Benfica — Tondela : Match Preview and Prediction for August 23,2025

Current Form and Recent Successes

Benfica enjoyed a full month of rest after concluding their Club World Cup appearances. The Eagles participated in only one friendly match before the start of the new season, securing a 3-2 victory against Fenerbahce, a team they were destined to face later in a more high-stakes encounter. Bruno Lage’s charges have already lifted their first trophy of the current season, narrowly defeating Sporting CP 1-0 in the Portuguese Super Cup final. The hosts continued their impressive start by effortlessly overcoming Nice twice (2-0, 2-0) in the third qualifying round of the Champions League. Subsequently, they faced Fenerbahce again in the playoff round. The first leg, held in Istanbul, ended in a 0-0 draw, a deserved result given the even nature of the match. In the Primeira Liga, Benfica has played just one game so far, also securing a 1-0 away victory against Estrela.

Summer Transfer Activity and Squad Reinforcements

Benfica’s management significantly strengthened their squad during the summer transfer window, bringing in Franjo Ivanovic (from Royal Saint-Gilloise), Richard Montoya (Palmeiras), Enzo Barrenechea (Aston Villa), Amar Dedić (RB Salzburg), and Samuel Dahl (Roma). Regarding departures, only Alvaro Carreras’ move to Real Madrid is notable.

Pre-Season Performance and League Start

Tondela had a rather strong pre-season campaign, securing three victories, one draw, and suffering only one defeat: Arouca (2-0), Viseu (1-1), Benfica B (3-1), Nacional (2-1), and AVS (0-4). It seemed these positive results might boost the players’ confidence and lead to a successful start in the national championship. However, the opposite proved true. The visitors lost both their opening league matches with a combined score of 0-4, first away to Braga (0-3), and then at home to Famalicao (0-1). Luis Pinto was fortunate to retain the core of his squad. However, they did make two promising transfers in Bryan Medina (from America de Cali) and Yarlen (Botafogo – loan). Judging by the player selection and their difficult start, Tondela appears to be set for another season battling to retain their league status.