Benfica will begin their Champions League campaign on hostile terrain when they face Red Star Belgrade in the Serbian capital on Thursday evening.
Red Star was part of a golden era of Yugoslav football and was one of the last winners of the European Cup before the introduction of the Champions League in 1992. More modern clubs have generally struggled to keep up with Europe’s best and since its rebranding the club has failed to reach the knockout stages of the competition.
After winning its seventh consecutive Serbian title last season, Red Star beat Norwegian team Bodo/Glimt in the play-offs to qualify for the league phase.
Benfica are much more established in the UEFA league, but have not conquered Europe since the 1960s. The Portuguese have at least made it to the knockout rounds in recent years, but are still a long way from the top European powers.
Here is 90 minutes Preview of Thursday’s Champions League game in Belgrade.
Red Star Belgrade vs. Benfica H2H record (All matches)
Current form (all competitions)
How to watch Red Star Belgrade vs Benfica on TV and live stream
Red Star Belgrade: Team News
Red Star’s team, which is made up mainly of Serbs, is not plagued by injuries ahead of its first league match, but will be without goalkeeper Omri Glazer and Vladimir Lucic for Benfica’s visit. While Glazer is battling a leg injury, Lucic is currently out with a knee problem.
The biggest threats for the hosts are the two goalscorers of the weekend, Bruno Duarte and Mirko Ivanic.
Expected line-up of Red Star Belgrade against Benfica
Expected line-up of Red Star Belgrade against Benfica (4-2-3-1): Ilic; Mimovic, Lekovic, Drkusic, Seol; Krunic, Elsnik; Silas, Ivanic, Olayinka; Duarte.
News from the Benfica team
The guests will have to do without several players on Thursday, but the players currently absent from Benfica are not expected to be out for long.
Andre Gomes and Tiago Gouveia are recovering from muscle and shoulder injuries respectively and should be back in action before the international break in October.
Angel Di Maria will start on the right flank for Benfica, while Florentino Luis and Orkun Kokcu will form a balanced midfield. Summer newcomer Kerem Akturkoglu has been immediately included in Roger Schmidt’s team and is expected to play from the start again in Belgrade.
Expected line-up of Benfica against Red Star Belgrade (4-2-3-1): Trubin; Bah, Silva, Otamendi, Carrera; Luis, Kokcu; Di Maria, Rollheiser, Akturkoglu; Cabral.
Red Star Belgrade vs Benfica Result Prediction
Trips to Eastern Europe may not be as daunting as they once were, but they remain difficult for visiting teams. Red Star are used to overrunning teams on home soil, but they usually struggle to match that form in Europe.
Benfica should therefore be confident of picking up an away win to kick off the league phase. They enter the competition on a four-game unbeaten run after losing to Familicao on the opening weekend of the Primeira Liga season. Schmidt can call on a talented squad that could cause some surprises in Europe this season.
They will have to give their all to gain the upper hand on Thursday.
