Santa Clara will face a challenge to maintain their unbeaten record in the Primeira Liga as they host Benfica at the Estadio de Sao Miguel on Monday. The two teams are closely matched in the league standings, with Benfica currently in second place, having accumulated 19 points from eight games, just one point ahead of Santa Clara, who is in fourth place. Benfica aims to keep up with Porto, who leads the league by five points, after winning six of their first eight matches. Under Marco Silva, they have scored 24 goals, the highest in the league, while conceding only seven. After suffering their first league defeat against Porto, Benfica bounced back by defeating Vitoria de Guimaraes 2-0 in their latest match, with Alexander Bah scoring first and Georgiy Sudakov adding a second shortly after coming on as a substitute. This win marked Benfica's fifth victory in their last six league games, with their only loss during that stretch being against Porto. They are keen to avoid further dropped points in a title race where Porto has won all eight of their matches. The Eagles also showcased their strong form in European competition, achieving a 4-1 win over Omonia, which places them at the top of their Europa League group after winning all three of their initial matches. Benfica can draw confidence from their historical dominance over Santa Clara, having won eight of the last ten league encounters (with two draws), including a 2-1 victory during their last visit to the Estadio de Sao Miguel in February. On the other hand, Santa Clara has had a promising start this season after finishing 13th last year, earning 18 points from eight matches (five wins and three draws) to sit in fourth place. Defensively, Petit’s team has been solid, allowing just four goals, a record matched only by Porto, and they boast five clean sheets, one of the best defensive records in the league.