Liverpool will travel to Lisbon this Tuesday to face Benfica in the first leg of their quarter-finals round of the 2021/22 UEFA Champions League season.
Venue: Estádio da Luz (Lisbon)
Key Statistics
Benfica are unbeaten in their last five home games in all competitions (W3, D2).
The hosts have scored in each of their last 18 home games in all competitions. Bayern Munich was the last team that prevented them from scoring at home.
They have just two clean sheets from their last 15 games in all competitions.
Liverpool have kept seven clean sheets from their last ten games in all competitions.
The visitors have lost just one of their last 20 games W17, D2).
They are unbeaten in their last nine away games in all competitions (W8, D1).
Head to head
Liverpool have the upper hand in this fixture, winning six of the ten head-to-head meetings between both sides. However, Benfica’s four wins in this fixture came in the last five meetings between both sides (L1).
Latest performances in all competitions
Benfica: L-W-W-D-W
Liverpool: W-W-W-L-W
Benfica
Benfica will look to continue their remarkable run in the UEFA Champions League this season when they welcome heavyweights, Liverpool to Lisbon on Tuesday night.
The hosts stunned the World in the last round when they beat Ajax 3-2 on aggregate, thanks to 2-2 in the first leg in Portugal and a 1-0 win away at Amsterdam.
They will now hope to repeat that trick in this round against their more fancied opponents.
However, their preparation for this game wasn’t ideal given that they were beaten in their last game; a 3-2 loss to Braga that leave them trailing Primeira Liga’s leaders, Porto, by 12 points.
However, given that they are unbeaten in their last five home games in all competitions (W3, D2), they will fancy their chances of getting a result in this game. Four wins from their last five games against Liverpool will also be a source of encouragement for them as they attempt to knock out one of the competition’s favourite teams on their way to the semifinals.
Possible Benfica starting line-up
Odisseas Vlachodimos; Gilberto, Nicolas Otamendi, Jan Vertonghen, Alejandro Grimaldo; Adel Taarabt, Julian Weigl, Everton; Rafa Silva, Gonzalo Ramos, Darwin Nunez.
Injured: Lucas Verissimo, Rodrigo Pinho
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Liverpool
Liverpool kept their quest for the Premier League title alive last time out when they beat Watford 2-0.
In a fairly entertaining game at Anfield, Liverpool scored through Diogo Jota and a late penalty by Fabinho to seal the deal and keep their chase of Manchester City.
The win secured them a fourth clean sheet in a row and also gave them their fourth win in a row. The last time they were beaten was when they lost 1-0 to Inter Milan in the second leg of the last round.
They will now look to get back to winning ways in the UCL and will fancy their chances of getting a win or at least a draw given their form and the fact that they have not lost two consecutive UCL games under Jurgen Klopp.
With 17 wins from their last 20 games, they go into this tie as favourites and should be able to easily win this game.
Possible Liverpool starting line-up
Alisson Becker; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, Andrew Robertson, Thiago Alcantara, Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Diogo Jota, Luis Díaz, Sadio Mane.
Injured: None
Doubtful: Naby Keita
Suspended: None
Prediction
Benfica 0-2 Liverpool