Jose Mourinho insisted that his Benfica side will give "everything we have" in the Primeira Liga title race as they host league leaders Porto on Sunday.
Benfica are seven points behind Porto ahead of Sunday's clash at Estadio da Luz, with second-place Sporting CP moving a point behind the leaders following their 2-1 win over Braga on Saturday.
This will be only Mourinho's third Primeira Liga match against Porto, the side he managed 83 times in the top-flight.
Mourinho has failed to beat Porto in each of his two previous matches, losing 1-2 with Uniao de Leiria in November 2001 and drawing 0-0 in October 2025.
With a win almost necessary for Benfica, Mourinho believes his side will give 100% in front of their home fans.
"I don't know what to expect; saying what you expect always carries a high risk, football is unpredictable," said Mourinho.
"We can talk about declarations of intent. Saying what you expect is complicated. The calculations are done game by game, it has been like that from the beginning and will be like that until the mathematical calculations are complete.
"Objectively, our distance is seven points, imagining – which I don't want to imagine – seven that could turn into 10, obviously that would be a giant step towards our chances vanishing.
"But I don't want to be pessimistic. As long as it's possible, we'll go with everything we have."
Porto boss Francesco Farioli, however, believes this match will not decide the outcome of the title race.
"It's a very important game. It's early March, there are still a lot of points to play for," said Farioli.
"Classics are always important, but they are nothing more than that. The season is very long and there are still a lot of games to play."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Benfica - Vangelis Pavlidis
Vangelis Pavlidis has scored 20 league goals in the Portuguese top-flight this season, a tally only bettered by Sporting's Luis Suarez (23).
The Greek striker has already bettered his goal tally from last season (19) in 10 fewer matches.
Porto – Oskar Pietuszewski
With top scorer Samu Aghehowa ruled out for the remainder of the season with injury, Oskar Pietuszewski has stepped up in their last two league games.
The 17-year-old scored in their 3-1 victory over Arouca after assisting their winner against Rio Ave.
MATCH PREDICTION – BENFICA WIN
Benfica are unbeaten across their last 39 Primeira Liga matches and should they avoid defeat, it will be only the fifth time on Opta's record (since 1959/60) that a team has managed 40+ top-flight matches without losing after Porto (53 in 1996, 53 in 2013, 55 in 2012 and 58 in 2022) and Benfica themselves (57 in 1978).
Benfica have also won each of their last five home Primeira Liga matches, keeping three clean sheets in the process.
It's Mourinho's longest home winning run in the Portuguese top-flight since a run of 33 in charge of Porto between September 2002 and May 2004.
Porto have lost just two of their last 30 Primeira Liga matches (W26 D2), although both of those defeats came on the road, going down 0-2 to Estrela in April 2025 and 1-2 to Casa Pia in February 2026.
However, Porto have failed to win any of their last three Primeira Liga meetings with Benfica (D1 L2), they haven't gone longer without a top-flight victory against the Lisbon outfit since a run of four between April 1993 and October 1994.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Benfica – 49.7%
Draw – 25.4%
Porto – 24.9%