Salzburg vs Benfica prediction: EUROPE: Champions League – Group Stage betting tips on match 2023-12-11 20:00.
FC Salzburg have played European football after Christmas in each of the last six seasons, and if they are to extend that proud record, the equation is simple. As long as the Austrian side get at least a draw from their final UEFA Champions League group (UCL) game, they will qualify for the UEFA Europa League (UEL) knockout play-off round, despite a disappointing phase of the competition that has seen them win just once in five attempts (D1, L3).
If Gerhard Struber’s side, who won 1-0 at Rapid Vienna in the league on Saturday, are looking for a positive omen, they can perhaps take it from the fact their sole UCL victory came against upcoming opponents Benfica, whom they beat 2-0 in September. Their recent results on home soil have been patchy though, registering only three victories from their last seven league and cup outings (L4) at the Red Bull Arena, where they haven’t had a draw in 13 games across all competitions since April.
That might well change against their visitors, who are on a run of three successive stalemates after Friday’s clash with Farense ended 1-1. That cranked up the pressure on manager Roger Schmidt, but it doesn’t look like the club’s hierarchy are looking to make a change in the dugout any time soon, after president Rui Costa declared “this is the coach who will continue at Benfica.”
A lot of the tension comes from the Eagles’ insipid UCL campaign, as last season’s quarter-finalists have picked up just one point from five games (D1, L4). Despite that, all hope is not lost of reaching the UEL play-off round, as they would jump above Salzburg and take third place by virtue of a better H2H record, should they win by a margin of more than two goals.
Key battle: Karim Konaté has helped Salzburg to victory in each of the seven games he has scored this season. Attempting to thwart him may be Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin, although he hasn’t kept a clean sheet in any of his last 18 appearances in European football, conceding 40 goals in the process.
Hot streak: Only one of Salzburg’s last nine home games has seen both teams score.