Anderlecht-Benfica Statistical Preview

Probable Lineups

Team News

Anderlecht

• Matias Suarez is out for the rest of the season with a cruciate ligament rupture.
• Ronald Vargas and Guillaume Gillet returned to action from injury at the weekend, with both featuring from the bench and the latter netting in defeat to Charleroi.
• American midfielder Sacha Kljestan is suspended so Demy de Zeeuw and Luka Milivojevic should both start in the middle.

Benfica

• Eduardo Salvio is the only long term absentee through injury for Benfica, with full-back Silvio back in the starting line-up in the victory aver Braga this weekend.
• Nemanja Matic netted the only goal in that game and will be partnered in the double pivot by Enzo Perez, with Fejsa set to continue to miss out.
• There could be starts for Matic’s compatriots Djuricic and Markovic, with Oscar Cardozo again getting the nod up front in European competition.

Match Facts

• Anderlecht have failed to win their last 6 matches in the Champions League (including qualifiers).

Prediction

• Anderlecht may be bottom of the group but victory here will give them a chance of finishing in the third place Europa League qualification spot, so they are still in need of the points.
• The visitors really need to win this game and hope that Olympiakos lose in Paris as expected in order to draw level on points with the Greeks.
• Defeat for the Portuguese outfit would mean that they are unable to overtake Olympiakos due to their inferior head-to-head record so victory is a must and they should be strong enough to get the three points.

Anderlecht 0 - 1 Benfica