Benfica vs Toulouse Preview, Prediction and Betting Tips
Benfica vs Toulouse: Europa League Match Preview
The playoff round of the Europa League 2023-24 season is set to take center stage as former European champions Benfica take on French outfit Toulouse. With this being the first meeting between the sides, both will ready to make their mark in the first leg of the competition. Benfica will enter the Europa League having dropped out of the Champions League while Toulouse finished runners-up in their group.
Toulouse and Benfica will play each other in a competitive match for the first time in their history. In European competition, Benfica have played more home games (16) against French opponents without losing (W11 D5) than they have against teams from any other country.
The last team to defeat Benfica at home in the Europa League was Metalist Kharkiv in December 2008. Benfica have played at least twice as many home games without losing in the Europa League as any other team, having gone undefeated in all 26 of their home matches in the competition since the 2009/10 rebrand (W20, D6).
Only in their 1-0 victory against Panionios in Greece during the 1987–88 UEFA Cup opening round did Toulouse manage to keep a clean sheet while playing in 13 of their 14 away games in major European competition, conceding 30 goals.
Toulouse’s eight goals in the 2023–24 Europa League Group Stage (4 goals + 1 assist) were all directly contributed to by Thijs Dallinga, who could become the first player to score in four straight away games in the competition in the same campaign since Olivier Giroud did so for Chelsea in 2018–19.
Team News
Juan Bernat is the only player out for Benfica right now due to a muscular ailment, with Casper Tengstedt having just returned. For the match against Guimaraes over the weekend, Schmidt was almost at full strength, and he is probably going to stay that way until the French team comes to town. Despite being left on the bench, Cabral scored their equaliser in the 90th minute, his fourth goal in as many games.
Logan Costa and Moussa Diarra, who were playing for the Africa Cup of Nations over the weekend were named substitutes having made the long trip. Due to injuries, manager Carles Martinez is likely to start with Shavy Babicka on the flanks. Denis Genreau and Zakaria Aboukhlal are also sidelined due to injury and are unlikely to make the trip to Portugal’s capital. While Babicka scored three goals for the Cypriot debutants in the group stage of the Europa League with Aris Limassol, he is still one goal short of Thijs Dallinga, who is expected to lead the visiting assault.
Predicted Lineups
Benfica
Predicted XI: Trubin; Bah, Antonio Silva, Otamendi, Aursnes; Joao Neves, Kokcu, Joao Mario; Di Maria, Arthur Cabral, Rafa Silva
Toulouse
Predicted XI: Restes; Mawissa Elebi, Costa, Nicolaisen, Diarra; Sierro, Spierings, Casseres; Donnum, Dallinga, Babicka
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Head-to-Head
This will be the first competitive meeting between Benfica and Toulouse
Prediction
Considering the depth in the squad and home advantage at their disposal, Benfica should be the favourites to win the match.
Prediction: Benfica 2-1 Toulouse
Betting Tips and Odds
Betting Tips
- Benfica -1 handicap: 2.05
- Arthur Cabral anytime goalscorer: 2.6
- Benfica to win both halves: 3.25
Match Odds
- Benfica Win: 1.36
- Draw: 4.80
- Toulouse Win: 9.50
Benfica vs Toulouse Timings & Telecast
- Date & Time: Thursday, February 15 at 9 PM (GMT).
- India: Sony Pictures Network & Sony Liv App
- Portugal: SIC Canal 11 Sport TV
- France: BeIN Sports
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