BENFICA – MACCABI HAIFA | Tuesday 9pm
Watch with interest – obviously he will only do so at the end of his Juventus’ engagement – Massimiliano Allegri. Benfica and Maccabi Haifa in fact make up the Champions League group H together with the Bianconeri and Psg. And if we bear in mind that there is a team that is superior and decidedly different from the others, then it seems conceivable that the Lusitanians could somehow try to make the breakthrough by trying to win the other matches and put the Italian troop in difficulty. But of course, everything depends on the results of the other matches, starting with the one against the Israelis of Maccabi Haifa, the top team in this round.
Benfica won in the last round of the championship in the 102nd minute against Vizela, in a comeback, after German coach Schimdt’s team had been reduced to ten men in the second half. An important signal in terms of mentality, but also one not to be underestimated: the Portuguese are not unbeatable – they will probably also have Draxler out – and even if they put their souls into the game they can give something away. A match that Maccabi will have seen as a dream come true. But it looks very complicated for the visiting team to put their heads together. Everything points to an easy victory for the home team.
The Prediction
Few problems should Benfica have in taking the first three points of the round and think in this way even to hope for a passage to the round. Everyone’s feeling is that the Portuguese team will play Juventus for access to the round of 16. But we definitely need to get off on the right foot and that, against a Maccabi Haifa cinder in the group, should not be a problem.
Benfica v Maccabi Haifa likely line-up
- BENFICA (4-2-3-1): Vlachodimos; Gilberto, Silva, Otamendi, Grimaldo; Fernandez, Florentino; Neres, Joao Mario, Rafa Silva; Ramos.
- MACCABI HAIFA (4-1-4-1): Cohen; Sundgren, Batubiniska, Goldberg, Cornud; Lavi; Aztili, Mohamed, Chery, Haziza; Pierrot.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 3-0
