Benfica-Club Brugge is a Champions League round of 16 return match played on Tuesday at 21:00: TV, line-ups, predictions.
Qualifying games closed or almost closed. The one between Benfica and Club Brugge looked set to be one of the most unbalanced round of 16 matches when the draw was made in Nyon, and the first leg only confirmed those expectations.
In Belgium on 15 February, the defensive wall erected by former Fulham and Bournemouth coach Scott Parker only held up for one half of the game. Until the penalty kick converted by former Inter Milan player Joao Mario, which put things on the descent for the Lusitanians at the start of the second half. Roger Schmidt’s Águias subsequently found the doubling goal through David Neres two minutes from the end, after wasting a series of clear-cut chances that could have made the final result (0-2) even more rounded. Benfica’s superiority, as was to be expected, was clear: the Nerazzurri hardly ever made themselves dangerous, limiting themselves to taking care only of the non-possession phase with the sole aim of avoiding a real collapse. The Portuguese therefore came close to what would be their second consecutive qualification to the quarter-finals of the continent’s top event. It has never happened before in the history of the white and red club.
Benfica are also on a roll in the league
Meanwhile, in the Primeira Liga, things are still going strong: after the cup competition, Benfica racked up three more consecutive victories against Boavista, Vizela and Famalicao, scoring a total of seven goals and conceding barely one.
The gap to Porto, second in the standings, is getting wider by the day. Eight points now separate Schmidt’s team from Sergio Conceiçao’s, the only one, together with Braga, that is trying to keep open a championship that has long been headed towards the red and white side of the Lusitanian capital. After all, Benfica had already shown in the group stage, winning their grouping ahead of PSG and Juventus, that they were a perfect machine, capable of putting even stronger opponents in difficulty. And the sale of the jewel Enzo Fernandez in January, passed to Chelsea for over 120 million, moved very little. Club Brugge, on the other hand, are also limping along at home. Out of the title game, Lang and his teammates have to defend fourth place from the possible assault of Gent and Standard Liege. Last Friday, however, they foundered at home to Ostend (3-0), an ugly defeat that dissipated the enthusiasm for the success of a week earlier in the direct clash with Gent.
Benfica-Club Brugge: latest line-up news
Schmidt is in a position to field almost all the starters. Only Draxler and Ristic are in the infirmary, while Gonçalo Guedes – who has not yet fully recovered – will not be risked. Chiquinho, who is struggling with a muscle problem, will also most likely remain on the bench. The German coach’s choice of formation is the usual 4-2-3-1, with the trio of Joao Mario, Rafa Silva and David Neres playing behind the lone striker Gonçalo Ramos.
The former Yaremchuk should not start for Club Brugge. Up front it will be Lang and Jutglà. Former Bologna man Skov Olsen and Scotland’s Hendry are not available.
The prediction
Benfica have never lost in their ten previous matches against Belgian teams at the ‘da Luz’ and again a clear victory should be achieved, with at least two goals to spare and the goal unbroken as in the first leg. The red and whites, with their considerable advantage over Porto in the league, will not underestimate the challenge against Club Brugge. Who are a distant relative of the side that surprisingly topped the group in the autumn at the expense of far better-ranked teams such as Atletico Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen.
Benfica v Club Brugge likely line-ups
- BENFICA (4-2-3-1): Vlachodimos; Bah, António Silva, Otamendi, Grimaldo; Aursnes, Florentino; João Mário, David Neres, Rafa Silva; Gonçalo Ramos.
- CLUB BRUGGE (4-4-2): Mignolet; Mata, Mechele, Sylla, Meijer; Sowah, Nielsen, Vanaken, Buchanan; Jutglà, Lang.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 3-0
