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Benfica
Champions League | Group Stage
Oct 20, 2021 at 8pm UK
Estádio da Luz
Bayern logo

Benfica
0 - 4
Bayern


Otamendi (45'), Mario (51')
FT(HT: 0-0)
Sane (70', 84'), Everton (80' og.), Lewandowski (82')
Upamecano (56'), Hernandez (59')

Preview: Benfica vs. Bayern Munich - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Wednesday's Champions League clash between Benfica and Bayern Munich, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Benfica and Bayern Munich will both be aiming to maintain their unbeaten starts to the 2021-22 Champions League when they do battle at the Estadio da Luz on Wednesday in Group E.

The hosts sit second in the group having taken four points from their opening two games, while Julian Nagelsmann's side are sitting pretty at the summit.


Match preview

Benfica coach Jorge Jesus on September 14, 2021© Reuters

Benfica had to do it the hard way in the qualifying rounds to book their place in the Champions League group stage, but the Portuguese giants proved that they firmly belong with the continental elite as they humbled Barcelona 3-0 on matchday two.

Darwin Nunez took all of three minutes to draw first blood against La Blaugrana before Rafa Silva doubled his side's advantage in the 69th minute, and Nunez would make sure of the result from the penalty spot for his second and Benfica's third in a remarkable success.

Such a romping was the perfect way for Benfica to respond to their opening goalless draw with Dynamo Kiev, and Jorge Jesus's second-string side saw off Trofense 2-1 after extra time in the Taca de Portugal on Saturday thanks to goals from Everton and Andre Almeida.

A 1-0 defeat to Portimonense in league action before the international break ended a six-game winning run at home for Benfica, but the hosts have come up trumps in their last five Champions League fixtures at the Estadio da Luz - including qualifiers - scoring at least two goals each time.

With Barcelona sure to start picking up points in Europe as colder temperatures set in, second-placed Benfica find themselves under immense pressure to hold their standing in the knockout round berths, but they now prepare for one of the toughest assignments that the game has to offer.

Bayern Munich coach Julian Nagelsmann gives instructions to his players on October 17, 2021© Reuters

While Benfica were marching to a romping victory of their own last time out, Bayern also produced a goal-laden performance on matchday two, as Nagelsmann oversaw a comprehensive 5-0 success over Dynamo Kiev on home soil.

Robert Lewandowski struck twice while Serge Gnabry, Leroy Sane and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting also found the back of the net to cement Bayern's place at the top of the rankings, and Nagelsmann's men produced another five-star performance in league action at the weekend.

Lewandowski (2) and Gnabry (2) got their names on the scoresheet again while Thomas Muller netted his side's third in an eye-catching 5-1 thrashing of Bayer Leverkusen, with all of the Bavarians' goals coming in the first half before Patrik Schick netted a consolation for a desolate Leverkusen in the second period.

Now boasting 10 wins from 12 in all competitions since the season kicked off, Bayern can all but confirm their place in the knockout rounds with all three points this week, and their goal difference of +8 is already the best out of all 32 teams in the group stage.

The Bavarians have also gone unbeaten in their last 19 Champions League away games and have won six of their last seven meetings with Benfica, most recently easing to a 5-1 victory in the 2018-19 group stage at home after a 2-0 win in Lisbon.

Benfica Champions League form:
  • W
  • W
  • W
  • D
  • D
  • W

Benfica form (all competitions):
  • D
  • W
  • W
  • W
  • L
  • W

Bayern Munich Champions League form:
  • W
  • W

Bayern Munich form (all competitions):
  • W
  • W
  • W
  • W
  • L
  • W



Team News

Bayern Munich defender Alphonso Davies is carried off injury in October 2020© Reuters

Benfica wing-back Gil Dias had to be withdrawn before half time against Trofense, and his replacement Valentino Lazaro was also forced off with a muscular issue and is set to sit this one out.

Striker Haris Seferovic is also struggling with a muscle injury but is unlikely to displace Nunez or Roman Yaremchuk either way, with Jesus reverting to the winning formula from their memorable victory over Barcelona.

Lazaro started at right-wing back in that tie and now ought to be replaced by Gilberto, but Almeida will hope to come into contention following his goal at the weekend.

Meanwhile, Bayern have been handed an injury scare with Alphonso Davies after the Canadian left-back came off with 40 minutes on the clock against Leverkusen due to thigh pain.

Davies has now been ruled out of the contest, so Lucas Hernandez could be shifted over to the left-hand side, with the Frenchman featuring at the weekend despite now having until October 28 to voluntarily enter prison for a six-month sentence.

On the opposite site, Benjamin Pavard is set to return from suspension to take his rightful place at right-back, and Nagelsmann should spring no surprises after being able to take several big-hitters off early against Leverkusen.

However, Leon Goretzka is battling a cold and will also miss out, so Marcel Sabitzer could start alongside Joshua Kimmich in the middle.

Benfica possible starting lineup:
Vlachodimos; Verissimo, Otamendi, Vertonghen; Gilberto, Weigl, Mario, Grimaldo; Silva, Yaremchuk, Nunez

Bayern Munich possible starting lineup:
Neuer; Pavard, Sule, Upamecano, Hernandez; Kimmich, Sabitzer; Sane, Muller, Gnabry; Lewandowski


SM words green background

We say: Benfica 1-3 Bayern Munich

Already being tipped as early favourites to go all the way in the Champions League, Bayern Munich have been unplayable in almost every game this term but will face their toughest test yet at the Estadio da Luz.

With a red-hot Nunez leading the charge, Jesus's side have the attacking guile needed to breach the Bavarians' defence, but the visitors should exploit an ageing Benfica backline to march to another convincing win.


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Data Analysis

Our analysis of all available data, including recent performances and player stats up until an hour before kickoff, suggested the most likely outcome of this match was a Bayern Munich win with a probability of 48.66%. A win for Benfica had a probability of 29.88% and a draw had a probability of 21.5%.

The most likely scoreline for a Bayern Munich win was 1-2 with a probability of 8.89%. The next most likely scorelines for that outcome were 1-3 (5.99%) and 0-2 (5.71%). The likeliest Benfica win was 2-1 (6.84%), while for a drawn scoreline it was 1-1 (8.8%). The actual scoreline of 0-4 was predicted with a 1.9% likelihood. Our data analysis correctly predicted that Bayern Munich would win this match.


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Game History

How you voted: Benfica vs Bayern

Benfica
10.5%
Draw
6.1%
Bayern Munich
83.4%
506
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Benfica's Darwin Nunez celebrates scoring against Boavista on September 20, 2021
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TeamPWDLPTS
1Liverpool440012
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5Monaco431010
6Barcelona43019
7Dortmund43019
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10Juventus42117
11Lille42117
12Man City42117
13Arsenal42117
14B. Leverkusen42117
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17AC Milan42026
18Bayern42026
19Benfica42026
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21Real Madrid42026
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24PSV41215
25Sparta Prague41124
26Stuttgart41124
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29Girona41033
30Salzburg41033
31Bologna40131
32RB Leipzig40040
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34Young Boys40040
35Red Star40040
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