Hearts vs Benfica Predictions

• Benfica are 6-1 up on aggregate and could rest some key players in Edinburgh
• A vastly improved Hearts won 4-0 at home last weekend
• Benfica lost their away leg to St Gallen in the previous round

Jambos can set the record straight

Hearts have a chance to salvage some pride from what has been a shambolic European campaign when they take on Benfica for the second time in a week at Tynecastle on Thursday. The first leg could hardly have gone any worse for the Jambos, who conceded after only two minutes at the Stadium of Light en route to a 6-1 hammering.

Wouter Vracken’s men gift-wrapped three of the Portuguese giants’ goals in another shameful defensive showing on the road after their 4-0 defeat at Sturm Graz in the Champions League qualifiers.

Injuries and new signings failing to bed in are legitimate excuses to a point and Vracken will hope the encouraging signs from Sunday’s 4-0 home win over Dundee United are not a false dawn.

Braga will be keen to impress

Meanwhile, Benfica were held to a 2-2 draw at home by Academico Viseu in their first domestic game of the season, leading to plenty of criticism for Marco Silva’s side in Lisbon. Their midfield seems to have come in for the most flak after the Eagles were pegged back twice on their own turf with a lack of steel one of the perceived problems.

Hearts may be able to capitalise on that if it is a characterises their performance in Gorgie and, with nothing to lose now, Vracken’s side could cause a surprise. Silva’s side lost away to St. Gallen in the previous round before recording a 5-1 win at home, so it is not beyond the realms of possibility that something similar happens here.

Back the Jambos to win, albeit not by enough to go through, with Claudio Braga on target. The Portuguese star, who scored against the Terrors, will be desperate to impress against the Lisbon giants amid much speculation over his future.