Benfica vs Qarabag prediction: EUROPE: Champions League – League phase betting tips on match 2025-09-15 19:00.
[p]After battling through the qualifying rounds, Benfica and Qarabağ go head-to-head as the league phase of this season’s UEFA Champions League (UCL) gets underway. [/p]
[p]Match News and Current Form[/p]
[p]After an indifferent few years, two-time European Cup winners Benfica have enjoyed a resurgence in the UCL of late, making it to the knockout phase on three occasions in the last five seasons. This time around, they have had to navigate qualifying rounds against Fenerbahçe and Nice, impressively coming through those four games without conceding a goal (W3, D1). Bruno Lage’s men are in fact unbeaten in 2025/26, with a 1-1 draw against Santa Clara on Friday extending their streak to nine games without defeat (W7, D2), while they are remarkably yet to fall behind this season.[/p]
[p]Their Azerbaijani opponents also had a 1-1 stalemate on Friday, coming from behind to snatch a point in the league against Zira. That stretched an underwhelming run of form to one win in four across all competitions (D1, L2), which is not ideal preparation for just their second venture into the main draw of the UCL. Qarabağ’s most recent European campaign last season was a poor one, as they were dumped out of the UEFA Europa League (UEL) having accumulated a measly three points (W1, L7), conceding 2+ goals in six of those defeats. That highlights how tough a campaign the Horsemen are in for after they came through qualifying rounds against Shelbourne, Shkëndija and Ferencváros to get this far.[/p]
[p]Head-to-Head History[/p]
[p]Although these teams have never met, Qarabağ have a miserable record in H2Hs against teams from Portugal, losing three times in four attempts (W1).[/p]
[p]Hot Stats and Streaks[/p]
[p]Five of the seven home goals Benfica have scored this season came before half-time.[/p]
[p]Just two of Benfica’s last nine UCL matches featured 3+ goals.[/p]
[p]Only one of Qarabağ’s nine games this season stood goalless at half-time.[/p]
[p]Qarabağ failed to score in three of their four away league phase fixtures in the UEL in 2024/25.[/p]
[p]Key Players to Watch and Missing Players[/p]
[p]Benfica will be keen for Vangelis Pavlidis to get on the scoresheet, as the forward is unbeaten across the last 19 club matches in which he has scored (W15, D4). Leandro Andrade has already shown his goalscoring prowess in this competition for Qarabağ this season, netting three times in the qualifying rounds, two of which served as the first or last goal of the game.[/p]
[p]The hosts have quite a few injury problems, including Amar Dedić (knee) and Dodi Lukébakio (leg). Qarabağ will not be able to pick Joni Montiel or Aleksey Isayev, who did not make their UCL squad.[/p]
[p]For all the latest team news, please check the Flashscore match centre.[/p]
[p]Betting Analysis[/p]
[p]Despite an underwhelming draw on Friday, the hosts should come through this comfortably, so backing Benfica to win to nil might be worth a punt.[/p]
[p][i]Author: Matt Jones[/i][/p]