Zenit St Petersburg vs Benfica Predictions

Zenit lost 1-0 away at Lokomotiv Moscow on Saturday, bringing an end to their six-game unbeaten run in all competitions, while Benfica recorded a 1-0 home win against Vitoria Setubal that very same day.

All of the stats suggest that Wednesday Champions League tie between these two clubs is going to be low-scoring, so we’ve backed under 2.5 goals to be scored and have predicted a 1-0 win for Benfica.

These two teams know each other well having met six times since 2012 and are yet to play out a single stalemate. Under 2.5 goals have been produced in four of the last five meetings between these two clubs and Benfica have won the last two encounters between the pair, which is why we’re backing a narrow away win on Wednesday. Two of the last three meetings between the duo have ended 1-0, four of the last five encounters between the two sides have ended in a win to nil, and four of the six matches between Benfica and Zenit have been decided by the odd goal, which provides all the reasons we need to back a final scoreline of 1-0 on Wednesday.

The performances of both clubs over the last month or so add weight to our prediction of a low-scoring ninety minutes on Wednesday, as two of Zenit’s last four and three of Benfica’s last five matches have produced under 2.5 goals. The visitors have kept four clean sheets in their last six matches and three of Benfica’s last four matches have been decided by the odd goal, so you can see why we’re expecting a close game and have backed the visitors to pinch all three points.

The form of both teams in recent weeks suggests that Wednesday’s clash will be tight and tense as both teams have won four, drawn one, and lost one of their last six matches and head into the game with plenty of confidence. However, Zenit lost their last match and only sit fifth in their domestic league while Benfica are just one point of the top in the Primeira Liga and have looked more consistent than Wednesday’s hosts so far this season.

We’re confident that Wednesday’s clash will produce under 2.5 goals and have predicted a final scoreline of 1-0 in Benfica’s favour. The two clubs have both won four of their last six matches but Benfica hold a psychological edge over their hosts having won the last two encounters between the pair. The visitors boast a strong defensive record that has seen them keep four clean sheets in their last six attempts and have only conceded three goals during that six-game period.