UCL FC Midtjylland vs SL Benfica – Preview & Prediction
The second leg of the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League is scheduled to take place on Tuesday at the Cepheus Park Randers, and Midtjylland will play Benfica.
Midtjylland enters this match with a 3-3 tie in the Danish Superliga against Freyr Alexandersson’s Lyngby. Midtjylland took the lead in the first half thanks to goals from Guinean striker Sory Kaba, left defender Nikolas Dyhr, and winger Anders Dreyer. However, Lyngby’s goals from striker Saevar Atli Magnusson of Iceland, forward Mathias Kristensen, and attacker Emil Nielsen of Denmark overcame that advantage.
In contrast, Benfica defeated Arouca in the Primeira Liga with ten men, winning 4-0. The victory was gained for Roger Schmidt’s Benfica thanks to goals from Brazilian right-back Gilberto, Argentine midfielder Enzo Fernandez, and a brace from winger Rafa Silva. Mateus Quaresma, a left-back, was dismissed by Arouca.
Goncalo Ramos scored a hat-trick for Benfica in a 4-1 victory over Midtjylland, and former River Plate player Enzo Fernandez also scored. Danish international Pione Sisto scored Midtjylland’s consolation goal.
Danish Superliga Midtjylland form guide: D-W-L-D
Benfica’s Primeira Liga form guide: W
Team Analysis
FC Midtjylland
After a season, the squad had amassed more points than any other team in the history of the first division 2000. Midtjylland was promoted to the top-level Danish Superliga.
They first captured the Danish football title in the 2014–15 season. Later, they won two league championships in 2017–18 and 2019–20 and made history by becoming the first team in Midtjylland history to qualify for the 2020–21 UEFA Champions’ League group stage. They also have a highly recognized youth system.
SL Benfica
In addition to placing ninth among the Top 200 European clubs of the 20th century, FIFA picked Benfica as the 12th Club of the Century. After the 2021–22 season, Benfica was ranked 26th in the club coefficient rankings and 8th in UEFA’s rankings. Benfica now ranks second in terms of the number of appearances in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League (41), a competition in which they hold the record for the most significant aggregate win, attained in 1965–1966. Additionally, Benfica has the record for Europe’s most straight domestic league victories.
Midtjylland
Brazilian forward Evander won’t be available for Midtjylland. There are no reported issues aside from that.
Injured: Evander
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Benfica
Roger Schmidt, the manager of Benfica, won’t be able to use Brazilian center-back Lucas Verissimo. The availability of Brazilian center back Joao Victor and Serbian left back Mihailo Ristic is currently in question.
Injured: Lucas Verissimo
Doubtful: Joao Victor, Mihailo Ristic
Suspended: None
Midtjylland vs Benfica Predicted XI
MIdtjylland Predicted XI (3-4-3): Elias Rafn Olafsson, Henrik Dalsgaard, Erik Sviatchenko, Stefan Gartenmann, Joel Andersson, Raphael Onyedika, Oliver Sorensen, Edward Chilufya, Anders Dreyer, Sory Kaba, Gustav Isaksen
Benfica Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Odysseas Vlachodimos, Alexander Bah, Nicolas Otamendi, Jan Vertonghen, Alex Grimaldo, Enzo Fernandez, Julian Weigl, David Neres, Rafa Silva, Petar Musa
Match prediction
Players like Frank Onyeka and Winston Reid have left the Danish team for top-tier European teams, establishing Midtjylland as an intelligent and well-run organization. But with Benfica leading by three goals, they will be the underdogs in this match.
On the other hand, Benfica recently hired Roger Schmidt as their new manager and added players like Enzo Fernandez, David Neres, and Alexander Bah. Goncalo Ramos, a young star linked to a move to Nottingham Forest, has an exciting future ahead of him.
We predict Benfica to triumph.
