Benfica v Celtic: Preview, expected line-ups, stats and where to watch

Where to watch Benfica-Celtic: TV and online broadcasts

Benfica versus Celtic kicks off at 20:00 BST (20:00 local time) on Thursday 15 October at the Estádio da Luz.

The match is live TNT Sports 3 in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Before Benfica-Celtic

Lisbon holds a special place in Celtic hearts. It’s where the Lisbon Lions became the first British team to lift the European Cup in 1967. This trip, however, is about survival rather than nostalgia as Martin O’Neill’s side travel to the Estádio da Luz on Thursday night in desperate need of points.

Celtic’s European campaign has been a nightmare so far. They should be in the Champions League but somehow surrendered a four-goal first-leg lead to lose 5-4 on aggregate against LASK in the play-off round. Their Europa League campaign then got off to the worst possible start, with Ferencváros winning 3-1 at Celtic Park on matchday one despite Celtic having 63% of the ball. Mika Baur equalized shortly before the break, only for the Hungarian champions to go straight back in front, and the excellent Daniel Arzani finished it off shortly after the break.

It was the start of a miserable run. Celtic lost to Rangers twice in the week, 3-0 in the League Cup and 1-0 at Celtic Park in the league, and the pressure on O’Neill grew. Sunday’s 2-0 win at Motherwell, which was O’Neill’s 250th win as Celtic manager, finally gave them some breathing room.

“I think that was really important for us. We had a couple of moments, a few scary moments and we got through it,” O’Neill said afterward. “Psychologically I thought it was good for us not to concede.”

Benfica is a completely different proposition. Marco Silva’s side are only in the Europa League because they missed out on the Champions League for the second time since 2009, and look like a team intent on making the most of it. They opened the league stage with an emphatic win at AC Milan and have been prolific at home, putting six ahead of Hearts and five ahead of St Gallen in the standings.

Their only real setback this season was a 3-1 defeat at home to Porto in O Clàssico in September. Benfica have won nine of their last 10 competitive matches and have scored at least two goals in nine of them.

Europa League table

Benfica-Celtic team news

Benfica are without Jakub Kamiński, who scored at the San Siro on matchday one but picked up an adductor injury during the international game with Poland. Midfielder Enzo Barrenechea is also dropped.

The good news for Silva is that Vangelis Pavlidis is fit and in phenomenal form. The Greek striker has 14 goals in 14 games this season and will once again lead the line, with Dodi Lukébakio, Gianluca Prestianni and Andreas Schjelderup supporting him.

For Celtic, the big concern is Cameron Carter-Vickers. The vice-captain missed the win at Motherwell with a strain, and O’Neill has been warned by the club’s medical team that Thursday could be too soon. If he misses out, Dane Murray is expected to continue alongside Liam Scales after impressing at Fir Park, with Auston Trusty another option.

Alistair Johnston and Yang Hyun-jun are unavailable, and Callum Osmand is a doubt with an ankle injury.

Lineups expected for Benfica-Celtic

Benfica: Trubin; Bah, Araújo, Circati, Dahl; Palhinha, Aursnes; Lukébakio, Prestianni, Schjelderup; Pavlidis

Celtic: Sinisalo; Donovan, Murray, Scales, Tierney; McGregor, Baur; Durán, Nygren, Tounekti; height

Benfica-Celtic statistics

• Benfica have won nine of their last 10 competitive matches, with at least two goals scored in nine of them.
• Benfica are unbeaten in their last 11 league or Europa League group stage matches (W8 D3).
• Vangelis Pavlidis has scored 14 goals in 14 games in all competitions this season.
• Celtic have lost three of their last four games in all competitions.
• Celtic have only kept two clean sheets in their last 29 top-flight Europa League games.

Benfica-Celtic prediction

Celtic often defy the odds in Europe but look a very difficult task against a Benfica side who look stronger all over the pitch.