Crvena Zvezda vs Benfica Preview & Prediction | 2024-25 UEFA Champions League | League Phase
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As one of the weaker sides in the expanded 36-team UEFA Champions League format, home games will be crucial for Red Star Belgrade at the Maracana as they begin their campaign by welcoming Portuguese giants Benfica this week.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Thursday 19th September, 2024 - UK – 5:45pm / US ET – 12:45pm / US PT – 9:45am
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – TNT Sports / US – Not televised
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – TNT Sports or Discovery+ / US – Paramount+ or ViX
CRVENA ZVEZDA PREVIEW: THE STARS OF CRVENA ZVEZDA
Under the management of Vladan Milojevic, Serbian champions Crvena Zvezda are, as mentioned, among the weakest sides in the UEFA Champions League this season but do have the major advantage of their hostile crowd at the Rajo Mitic Stadium in the Serbian capital of Belgrade.
Crvena Zvezda come into this one on the back of a comfortable 2-0 defeat of ten-man Napredak in their most recent outing at the Serbian SuperLiga at the weekend. In the playoff round of this competition last month, they managed a surprise come-from-behind 3-2 aggregate defeat of Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt.
BENFICA PREVIEW: UNDERWHELMING UNDERPERFORMANCE
It has been a really disappointing 12-15 months or so for Benfica as Roger Schmidt’s strong first season was undermined to the point of him being replaced over the summer by former Braga and Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Bruno Lage. Bruno Lage, though, has endured a tough start to his time at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon.
The Eagles did manage a much-needed hammering of Santa Clara in the Portuguese capital at the weekend but they have been underwhelming in their opening five matches of the Primeira Liga season. They sit fifth in the table behind Sporting CP and Porto as well as Vitoria Guimaraes and Famalicao.
CRVENA ZVEZDA TEAM NEWS: RED STAR FULLY FIT
The Serbians come into this opening clash against Benfica with the blessing of having a fully fit and available squad to choose from with no injury concerns or suspension issues.
Crvena Zvezda will be reliant on the impressive Raphael Onyedika in attack, formerly of Club Brugge, as well as Slovenian internationals Rade Krunic and Timi Elsnik.
PREDICTED XI (4-5-1): Glazer; Mimovic, Spajic, Djiga, Seol; Ivanic, Elsnik, Radonjic, Krunic, Onyedika; Bruno Duarte
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE:
BENFICA TEAM NEWS: FINDING A BALANCE
With a fully fit and available squad for Benfica this weekend, the Lisbon-based club will be able to choose their absolute best eleven which revolves around Angel Di Maria.
The now internationally retired 2022 FIFA World Cup winner will seek to support in-form Kerem Akturkoglu in the Benfica attack in behind Greece international Vangelis Pavlidis.
PREDICTED XI (4-3-3): Trubin; Bah, Otamendi, Silva, Alvaro Fernandez; Kokcu, Florentino Luis, Rollheiser; Di Maria, Pavlidis, Akrturkoglu
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE:
KEY STATS
- The only previous meetings between these two teams in UEFA competition was in the 1984/85 European Cup first round. Crvena Zvezda won the first leg 3-2 in Belgrade, Benfica then turned the tie around with a 2-0 victory in Lisbon.
- Crvena Zvezda have won two and drawn one of their previous three UEFA competition matches at home against Portuguese teams. Their most recent such fixture was a 2-1 victory against Braga in the 2021/22 UEFA Europa League group stage.
- Crvena Zvezda are without a win in their last ten matches in the UEFA Champions League competition proper (D1 L9). Since a 3-1 home victory against Olympiacos in October 2019.
- Benfica have lost only one of their last eight UEFA competition matches (W4 D3).
- Benfica have won their Matchday 1 fixture in only one of their last seven UEFA Champions League campaigns (D2 L4).
- Benfica’s record away from home on Matchday 1 of the UEFA Champions League is (D4 L2).
- Four of Benfica’s previous six away matches on Matchday 1 of the UEFA Champions League finished without a goal being scored.
CRVENA ZVEZDA VS BENFICA PREDICTION
Crvena Zvezda lost the first-leg of their playoff tie in the Arctic Circle against Bodo/Glimt but that aforementioned hostile home crowd spurred them on to a 2-0 second-leg win in Serbia. Benfica do appear a team that can be rattled by fierce opposition and that will be a major concern for Bruno Lage and his Portuguese side. Benfica remain favourites but both teams scoring may well be a good value bet for this one.
RED STAR BELGRADE VS BENFICA TIP: BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE
