Benfica vs Midtjylland -When Benfica hosts FC Midtjylland in Portugal for the first leg of their Champions League third qualifying round matchup on Tuesday night, they will be trying to gain an advantage.
The Eagles’ third-place performance in Portugal’s first division earned them a spot in the third qualifying round, while Midtjylland defeated Larnaca in the final round, triumphing on penalties after the two teams had played to consecutive 1-1 draws.
Last season, Benfica made a strong showing in the Champions League, defeating PSV Eindhoven and Spartak Moscow in the first round before coming in second in a group that also contained Barcelona.
The Portuguese powerhouses then defeated Ajax 3-2 on aggregate in the round of 16, but Liverpool eliminated them in the last eight, defeating them 6-4 on aggregate.
Meanwhile, the Reds lost 1-0 to Real Madrid in the championship match. Benfica finished third in Portugal’s premier division last season, 11 points behind second-place Sporting Lisbon and 17 behind winners Porto.
To advance to the group stage of the competition, they will once again need to win a third qualifying round match and a playoff match.
Benfica vs Midtjylland – Betting Analysis
Neres and Fernandez, who joined from Shakhtar Donetsk and River Plate, respectively, are expected to play for Benfica in this encounter, so there could be some new faces in their starting lineup.
Musa might also be able to play in the last third of the pitch, while the 20-year-old Henrique Araujo might also be able to play in an attacking position for the Portuguese powerhouses.
With Nicolas Otamendi and Jan Vertonghen at the back, there will be experience, and Alex Grimaldo is anticipated to start despite the uncertainty surrounding his future.
Regarding Midtjylland, the starting lineup is anticipated to resemble the one that went out last week against Larnaca.
Charles, Paulinho, and Edward Chilufya were among players who were benched by head coach Henriksen for the league game against OB on Friday, but they should be back here.
Benfica vs Midtjylland – Head-to-Head
Our Prediction: Home Win
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