Benfica vs Bayer Leverkusen prediction: EUROPE: Champions League – League phase betting tips on match 2025-11-04 20:00.
[p]Benfica have made a dreadful start to the UEFA Champions League (UCL), something they will look to put to bed against another team who are winless after three games, Bayer Leverkusen.[/p]
[p]Match News and Current Form[/p]
[p]José Mourinho may be a two-time UCL winning manager, but he has been unable to strike a tune out of Benfica in Europe. The Portuguese outfit have lost each of their three games in this competition, two of them since the 62-year-old took the reins in September, meaning they are already three points off the pace for a place in the top 24. At least things have been somewhat better domestically, with a 3-0 win against Vitória de Guimarães on Saturday a tenth league game without defeat (W7, D3), while the Eagles are also on a four game unbeaten run at home (W3, D1), dating back to a UCL defeat to Qarabağ.[/p]
[p]Bayer Leverkusen started their European campaign in steady fashion, until draws against PSV and Copenhagen were followed by a confidence-shattering 7-2 defeat to defending champions PSG. That was only the second time Die Werkself have conceded seven goals in a continental fixture, and matched the total they conceded in the entirety of the league phase in 2024/25! Their leaky defence was mauled again at the weekend too, with a 3-0 reversal against Bayern Munich meaning Kasper Hjulmand’s men have only kept one clean sheet in their last five games across all competitions (W3, L2), although it was also the first fixture in which they have failed to score since mid-April.[/p]
[p]Head-to-Head History[/p]
[p]Benfica have lost just one of their six meetings with Bayer Leverkusen (W2, D3), while the Portuguese side are also unbeaten in home H2Hs (W1, D2). [/p]
[p]Hot Stats and Streaks[/p]
[p]Ahead of this round, only three teams have managed fewer shots on target than Benfica’s eight in the UCL.[/p]
[p]Benfica’s last four matches saw over 2.5 goals.[/p]
[p]Three of Bayer Leverkusen’s last four games across all competitions featured a red card.[/p]
[p]Bayer Leverkusen have conceded at least twice in their last four UCL away games (D1, L3).[/p]
[p]Key Players to Watch and Missing Players[/p]
[p]The Estádio da Luz is a happy hunting ground for Benfica forward Vangelis Pavlidis, who has scored five times in his last four UCL games there. Bayer Leverkusen will want Patrik Schick to be on song, as he last lost a club game in which he netted in February 2023 (W25, D6)![/p]
[p]Bruma and Amar Dedić remain sidelined for Benfica. There will be no Robert Andrich for Bayer Leverkusen after his red card against PSG, while Equi Fernández has been ruled out through injury.[/p]
[p]For all the latest team news, please check the Flashscore match centre.[/p]
[p]Betting Analysis[/p]
[p]There will surely be action in this game, so both teams to score and over 2.5 goals might prove successful.[/p]
[p][i]Author: Matt Jones[/i][/p]