Club Brugge vs Benfica Predictions

• Benfica were unbeaten in this seasons Champions League Group Stage (W4, D2)
• Club Brugge have won one of their last 13 matches in all competitions
• Both teams to score was a winning selection in five of Benfica’s six Champions League Group Stage matches

Benfica enjoying a fine season

Benfica are enjoying a fine season to date, Roger Schmidt’s side a currently five points clear in Primeria Liga, and they cruised through the Champions League Group Stage unbeaten (W4, D2).

Benfica qualified for the knockout stages of the competitions by finishing top of strong looking Group H, which consisted of PSG, Juventus and 14-time Israeli champions, Maccabi Hafia. The Portuguese side are unbeaten in their last five away matches, (W4, D1) and should take all the beating on Wednesday.

Brugge have been in free-fall

Club Brugge have been in dreadful form since the World Cup, winning one of their last 13 matches in all competitions. Wednesday’s hosts managed to finish second in a strong Group B but have been in free-fall since and it is hard to make any case for the Belgian side here.

Club Brugge’s sole defeat in Group B came when they were thumped 4-0 at home to Porto. Porto currently sit second in Portugal’s top division, they trail the league leaders, Benfica, by five points. Wednesday’s hosts face an uphill battle to get any sort of a result in the first leg.

Back both teams to score

Wednesday’s game looks set to be an entertaining affair, in which both teams are expected to score, as they have done in eight of Club Brugge’s last nine matches. The hosts will be fully aware of the importance of a first leg lead and are expected to play on the front foot from the get-go.

Both teams to score was a winning selection in five of Benfica’s six Champions League Group Stage matches this season. Benfica will fancy their chances of putting the tie to bed in Belgium and in the absence of the away goals rule, there is more emphasis for visiting teams to attack.

Benfica to win in the outright market will be the main selection for Wednesday’s game, with a 2-1 away victory forming the correct score prediction.