Benfica vs Toulouse Predictions

• Benfica have won six of their last seven home games, five featuring three or more goals
• Toulouse have conceded two or more goals in four of their last seven away games
• Toulouse scored in all three of their away Europa League group games this season

Benfica back among the smaller fish in Europa League

Benfica will take some beating on Thursday when they host Toulouse in the Europa League play-off round at Estadio da Luz.

The Portuguese league leaders are one of the eight Champions League dropouts to enter the competition at this stage, but they were perhaps the luckiest to finish third after finishing level on points and goal difference with fourth-placed Red Bull Salzburg.

Roger Schmidt’s side are easy on the eye and have more talent on their bench than Toulouse, who lost 2-1 at home to Nantes last weekend, have in their starting XI at the moment. A positive result in Lisbon should ease their path to the next round, but they will have to be careful because Toulouse showed how they can raise their game at home when they beat Liverpool.

Toulouse will not sit back in Lisbon

Carles Martínez Novell’s side have only scored 20 goals in 21 Ligue 1 matches this season, but have been more of a threat going forward in the cups. They registered in all three of their away group stage matches, including in a 5-1 defeat at Anfield, and will give it a go at the Luz.

That does not necessarily mean they will get on the scoresheet this Thursday as Benfica have kept clean sheets in three of their last six home games, but it ought to increase the chances of the game featuring at least three goals.

The Eagles have scored three or more goals in six of their last nine games at home anyhow and should be trusted to earn a first-leg lead in a game that has more than just a couple of memorable moments.