4 Benfica vs 0 Atlético Madrid
Atlético Madrid eyeing UCL win over Benfica after derby draw.
As S.L. Benfica seeks a rare second consecutive UEFA Champions League victory, they host Atlético de Madrid, a team eager to regain momentum on the European stage.
Benfica
Bruno Lage got off to a flying start with Benfica in the UEFA Champions League with a 2-1 win over Zvezda on Match Day 1. The Eagles took an early two-goal lead before Zvezda struck in the 86th minute via Milson.
This opening day win positioned Benfica well alongside elite clubs like Real Madrid and Liverpool in the upper half of the new UEFA Champions League league phase. Ahead of Match Day 2, Benfica are 11th with 3 points and face Atletico Madrid in what will be their third meeting in the UEFA Champions League.
Benfica and Atlético Madrid have only met previously in the group stage of the 2015-16 UEFA Champions League, with each side losing at home 1-2. An unlikely win over Atletico on Match Day 2 would give Benfica two opening UCL victories for just the third time.
However, Benfica's recent record against Spanish sides is not encouraging, having won just one of their last 10 home games against such opposition in all European competitions (1W, 4D, 5L). Vangelis Pavlidis is set to lead the attack as Lage deploys the familiar 4-2-3-1 formation.
Renato Sanches and Tiago Gouveia are both ruled out for the home side.
Atlético Madrid
After a 1-1 draw in an ill-tempered Madrid derby, Atlético de Madrid will be looking to bounce back to winning ways on the road when they visit Estádio do Benfica. The weekend’s game saw Marcos Llorente sent off in stoppage time, well after the game came to a temporary stop following fan trouble.
‘The person who throws a lighter should not come any more. It happened to Courtois at the Bernabéu once when he played for us. It happens, and it will happen again,’ Diego Simeone said after the game. On Wednesday, the Atlético Madrid manager would like to see his side put up the same fighting spirit seen at the weekend against Madrid.
They have won three of their last four UEFA Champions League away games against Portuguese opponents, an impressive record to hold on to at Benfica. However, Atlético Madrid have only won once in their last nine UEFA Champions League away games.
A 4-3-1-2 with Alexander Sørloth and Julián Alvarez in attack is expected here.
Team form
Showing the latest five games—giving you a quick look at recent performance trends. Teams in good form tend to do well in the next match.
Team Comparison
Side-by-side assessment of team statistics, including goals, attacks, and more. This allows you to directly compare key performance metrics. Analyzing these stats can reveal patterns and strengths that might influence the outcome.